


The Next Exit: Adrinette April 2018

by seasonofthegeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette April, Adrinette April 2018, Alternate Timelines, Crappy motels, Road Trip, aged up AU, one bed syndrome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-17 03:23:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 21,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14179437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: All month I will be writing in an AU where Master Fu choses (aged up) Marinette and Adrien to be temporary guardians of the box of remaining Miraculous. He sends them out of the country to keep them safe and for blatant writing and knowledge convenience, they will be in hiding in the United States because that’s how I roll.





	1. Hide

“I know we’re only a week into this whole on the run thing,” Marinette said, poking at a stale cinnamon roll, “but I think I might be ready to mutiny.”

“Yeah, we’re a long way from home, huh?” Adrien grimaced after a large gulp of burnt coffee and glanced back at the ancient coffee maker on the motel breakfast area counter. “Maybe we can find something that’s not fried or prepackaged for dinner.”

“Maybe. We need to watch our budget though. Fu only gave us so much money.”

“I know,” he nodded. “Ready to hit the road?”

“May as well.” Marinette stood and disposed of her trash. “Do you mind driving first?”

“Not all,” Adrien grinned. “I think I’m finally getting good at it. North or south?”

“Hmmm, let’s go south.”

“You got it.”  
__________________________

Adrien stared out at the long stretch of road ahead of them. It would be dark soon and they needed to find a place to stay for the night. The whole week had been like some kind of fever dream. He wondered how hard his father was looking for him. Surely the authorities were involved now. He had left a note that he would be traveling indefinitely, but with no other explanation, it would hardly be believed. Marinette had mentioned missing home more than once over the past few days but he was having trouble feeling the same. Strange and uncertain as it may be, he was having the best time of his life. It didn’t hurt that his new companion was beautiful and kind.

He frowned to himself. Why had Master Fu chosen him and Marinette and why had they been so ready to believe his stories of magical jewels and great power? It was ludicrous really. For him, the thought of running somewhere no one knew his face or his name had always been alluring but he would’ve never done it without some kind of push. He glanced over at Marinette’s curled form. 

“Why do you think he chose us?”

Marinette blinked sleepily, loosening the belt so she could turn in the seat and face Adrien. “Hmmm?”

“I guess I’ve just been wondering why us, you know?”

“I don’t know,” she said quietly, trying to spur her mind into wakefulness as she levered her seat upright once more. “I’ve wondered that myself. I’m not exactly special.”

He scoffed. “I beg to differ but that’s a conversation for a different time, I suppose.”

Marinette blushed and was thankful she could turn to look out the window. “Why did you say yes?” She turned back to look at him after a few moments of silence.

Adrien had half a smile as he kept his eyes on the road. “A chance to run and hide with a beautiful woman? Who wouldn’t say yes?”

“Stop,” she groaned, feeling her entire face heat up. “Seriously.”

He chuckled softly. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.” Marinette watched the fading sunlight wash over his face. It was unfair that he was so beautiful. It was much too distracting. “I mean, we’ve been eating all our meals together and sleeping in the same room for a few days now and I don’t even really know anything about you.”

Adrien shifted uneasily. “There’s not much to know honestly. I’m a pretty boring guy.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

He grinned. “I’ll just say that the prospect of hiding wasn’t unappealing and leave it at that for now.”

Marinette nodded thoughtfully, settling back in her seat. 

“Looks like there are a few motels on this exit.”

“Seems like as good a place as any,” Marinette sighed.


	2. Gaming

“You’ll never believe what this place has!” Marinette exclaimed, bursting into the motel room. 

Adrien sat up on the bed and turned off the television. “What?”

“An arcade,” she beamed. “And the manager gave me a roll of quarters just because I’m cute.” She lifted her shoulder coyly and fluttered her eyelashes.

“Then he should’ve given you ten rolls of quarters,” Adrien grinned.

She blushed and ducked her head. “Hush. Do you wanna get out of the room for a bit and go play some games?”

“Absolutely!”

“Awesome!”

He chuckled. “So this is where we’re at, huh? Both so excited for the chance to play some old arcade games.”

“I’ve been a little stir crazy,” she admitted. “I know we’re in a different place every other night but they are all exactly the same.” She glanced at the room safe in the corner. “Do you think it’s okay to leave the box here?”

“I think so. We’re still going to be near it,” Adrien frowned. “I mean, it would be more obvious if we were toting it around, wouldn’t it?”

“Which then has me questioning who would possibly be following us to even see us toting it around,” Marinette sighed, sitting on the edge of her bed. “This is crazy.”

“Maybe a little.”

“I keep thinking we should just go back home, but something tells me this is important.”

“It would be nice if we knew more though.” Adrien looked back at the safe again. “And if we knew when Fu was going to get more money to us.”

“How much do we have left?”

“Staying at the cheapest places we can find and eating and driving the way we have, maybe another week?”

Marinette hugged herself. “What are we going to do if we run out of money?”

“Call home and beg for plane tickets?”

“That would go over well.” A sad look came over her face, her shoulders slumping slightly.

Adrien stood. “Come on, let’s go play some games. We deserve a little fun.”

Marinette looked down at the roll of quarters. “This is ten dollars. We should probably save it for food or--”

He swiped the money out of her hand. “Nope, this isn’t budget money. This is ‘Marinette is cute and deserves some fun’ money. Totally different.”

“Fine, but only five dollars goes to that. The other five is for ‘Adrien is really sweet and I might let him actually win a game’ money.” Marinette was delighted to see a faint blush paint his cheeks before he put a hand to his chest.

“Let me win?” He laughed dramatically. “You have no idea what you’re in for. My formative years were spent with video games as my only companion.”

“I don’t know whether I’m sad or impressed.”

“That’s my sweet spot,” he grinned, offering her his arm. “Shall we?”

Marinette hooked her arm through his, delighted at the instant warmth filling her. “We shall.”


	3. Fencing

“Mari?” Adrien asked, voice barely a whisper in the dark room.

“Hmmm?”

“Is the rain keeping you awake too?” Adrien heard more shifting in the other bed and could just make out the outline of Marinette’s face as she turned in his direction.

“I guess so,” she sighed. “We could watch TV or something.”

“I’m tired of watching TV.”

“I am too,” she admitted. Thunder rumbled outside the window. “It sounds like it’s getting heavier. We might have a storm.”

“Good night not to try to sleep in the car then, huh?”

Marinette chuckled softly. “Yeah, getting a room was a good call.”

Adrien nodded, the pillowcase scratchy under his cheek. While he didn’t miss the apartment his father had chosen for him with its high tech security and lack of privacy, he did very much miss his bed. Although having someone near him, even across the room, as he slept had been a feeling he had happily grown accustomed to. It would be hard to go back to sleeping in a room alone when this was all over.

Lightning flashed, brightening the room for a quick second and Adrien heard Marinette inhale sharply. “I hate when they’re close like that, thunder and lightning,” she murmured. “I always have this irrational fear that I’m going to get struck, even laying here in bed.”

“If it makes you feel better, I would probably get struck first since I’m by the window.”

“I don’t want you struck either. It’s such a dumb fear.”

Adrien sat up, leaning over to turn on the light between them. Marinette blinked a few times in surprise. “Sorry. I should’ve warned you. I thought this might help.”

“It does, thanks.” She stayed curled on her side, eyes not quite meeting his. “Do you have any fears like that? The kind that you know don’t make sense but you have them anyway?”

“Hmm, I’m sure I do,” he frowned. “Oh! Okay, so growing up, I did a bunch of fencing tournaments.”

“Like with the face masks and the swishy swords?” Marinette’s fist darted out from the blankets to wave from side to side.

Adrien laughed. “Yeah, those. I always thought that my opponent might end up stabbing me so hard that the tip broke and somehow it would go through my chest padding and pierce my heart.”

“Yikes.”

“Yeah.” He shook his head. “It would take so much strength for that to happen, and even then, I’m not sure that it’s possible, but every match, I was just waiting for it to happen.”

“Why did you keep fencing then? I think I would’ve been a nervous wreck.”

Adrien stiffened. “My father wanted me to.”

“Oh, okay,” Marinette nodded, busying herself with sitting up and arranging her blanket so she didn’t have to meet his eyes. From small snippets of conversation, she had gleaned that Adrien’s relationship with his father was strained, at best. “I have another one,” she offered, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Another irrational fear?”

“Mmhmm. When I’m swimming, even though I know that it isn’t possible, I always think that there might be a shark in the deep end of the pool.”

“Me too!”

“Really?!”

Adrien laughed, shaking his head. “That’s the first one I thought of and then I was afraid you would think I was really weird.”

“Well, thanks!” she exclaimed. “So I get to be the weird one?”

“Same fear,” he saluted her.

“Same fear,” she smiled, returning his salute.

Adrien yawned. “It’s late. I wonder how long the storm is going to go.”

“I can drive tomorrow if you’re too tired.”

“You’ll be tired too,” he pointed out.

“Maybe we should try to sleep.” She sank back down into the bed. 

Adrien nodded and turned off the light. “Don’t worry, Mari. I’ll be your lightning buffer.”

Marinette snuggled against her pillow and tried to stamp down the thought of how nice it would be to ask him to join her in her bed for extra assurance. “My hero,” she smiled into the darkness.


	4. Dinner with Family

“I don’t even know what to do with this,” Marinette giggled, poking at the contents of the bowl with her spoon. “It looks so weird.”

Adrien leaned across the table to look into the bowl. “Okay, so maybe eggs and I’m guessing sausage? Is that cheese or more eggs?”

“Cheese, I think.”

“And then...not oatmeal.”

“Grits.”

“That doesn’t sound even a little appetizing.”

Marinette laughed. “I’m going to try it. Wish me luck.”

“If it kills you, can I have your neck pillow?” Adrien teased, watching her scoop up a spoonful of the concoction.

“It’s yours if you promise not to tell my parents I died eating this,” she promised.

“You miss them, don’t you?”

“I really do,” she smiled sadly, balancing the spoon on the edge of the bowl. “I just wish I could call them. I mean, I guess I could but what if someone tracks it?”

“We should be hearing from Fu any day now. Maybe he’ll say it’s safe.”

“Maybe.”

“Then we can go back home and you can have all the dinners you want with your parents.”

Marinette kept her attention on her spoon as she lifted it up to try her meal. “Maybe you could even join me for some of them.” She took the bite before Adrien could reply, face thoughtful for a minute before nodding and scooping up more.

“Well?”

“It’s awful,” Marinette said before another bite. “You definitely shouldn’t try any.”

Adrien grinned. “You’re kinda the best, you know that?”

Marinette blushed but felt the warmth leak away as she watched Adrien’s face go serious, eyes on something behind her. He returned his attention to her after a moment but the new smile on his face was strained.

“Wait a second before you look but the guy in the booth closest to the door, he was at the motel in Tennessee when we were checking out, wasn’t he?”

Marinette counted to ten in her head and then slightly turned her face so she could see the man in question. He wasn’t someone she thought she could pull out of a line up but there was something vaguely familiar about him. “What do want to do?” she asked quietly.

Adrien reached across the table, covering her hand with his and smiling. “Finish your food. We’ll pretend like we don’t see him and go from there.” 

Marinette glanced towards their car in the parking lot through the window. “Now I feel all antsy like we need to get out there.”

“It could just be a coincidence.”

“You don’t think it is though.”

Adrien frowned. “I think we’ve been too lucky.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Personal experience.” He gestured to her food. “You should eat.”

“I’ve lost my appetite.” Marinette stole another glance at the man. “We need a plan.”

“You have an idea?”

“What if I go to the restroom and you go outside to the car? We could see if he follows either of us.”

Adrien shook his head. “You go to the car. I don’t want you stuck in here if things go wrong.”

“This could all just be our imagination. Besides, I actually do need to go to the restroom. Go to the car and get in. You could even circle around the lot to see if it gets his attention.”

Adrien let out a sharp laugh. “I feel like we were in a romantic comedy that suddenly shifted into an action movie.”

Marinette smiled, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. “Maybe it’s just a blip in the script.”

“Take your purse. You’ve got the mace, right?”

She nodded and began to slide out of the booth but Adrien grabbed her hand.

“Use it if you have to. Be careful.”

“You too.”  
_______________________________

Marinette slid into the passenger seat. “He wasn’t in the booth when I came out.”

Adrien eyed the rearview mirror. “He’s in the silver car, parked two and over.”

“Okay, this all feels scary real now. If he was just a random guy, he would’ve left by now.”

“He’s waiting on us.”

She buckled her seatbelt. “So I guess we can safely assume that Fu wasn’t lying about the box being important now.”

Adrien chuckled humorlessly. “Guess so.” He put the car in reverse, pulling out of the space.

“We’re going to just keep driving?”

“I don’t really know what else to do. We’ve got a full tank of gas. Maybe we can outlast him.”

Marinette inhaled deeply and nodded. “Let’s do it.”


	5. Comfort

Adrien startled awake, eyes immediately going to the rearview mirror. One lone set of headlights shined through the darkness behind them. “Is that him?” he murmured.

Marinette glanced in his direction before returning her attention to the road. “No, I don’t think so. I haven’t noticed anyone steadily following since before we switched at the gas station in North Carolina. That car only got on maybe ten minutes ago. It’s mostly just been us.”

“I can’t believe I fell asleep.” The clock on the dashboard read a quarter after four in the morning. “You’ve been driving for hours.”

“You needed the rest. You’ve driven more than me anyway.” She shivered. “I kinda just wanted to get as far away as possible.”

“Come on, let’s pull off and find somewhere to stay.”

“If we go to a hotel right now, they’ll charge us an extra day,” she frowned. “I can just keep driving.”

A bright blue sign caught Adrien’s gaze as the headlights flashed over it. “Let’s go to the rest area. Stretch our legs, maybe get a snack or something.”

Marinette nodded and they rode the next few minutes in silence until she pulled onto the exit ramp. They held their breath, watching the only car behind them cruise past and continue along the interstate. 

“I don’t know what I would’ve done if they followed us in here,” Marinette admitted. “Cried, maybe.”

“I’m so sorry, Mari. You don’t deserve to deal with any of this.”

She gave him a tired smile. “Neither do you.” She laughed softly. “The books and movies always make it seem so special, being chosen. I don’t think I’m a fan.”

“That might make two of us,” he agreed. “Can’t complain about the company though.”

“Wouldn’t do you any good to anyway,” she winked. “I think you’re stuck with me. Let’s go get ramped up on sugary goodness.”  
_______________________________

The rest stop was completely quiet as Adrien and Marinette made their way back to the car, the only other people in the area seemingly truckers asleep in their vehicles. 

“We should just do that,” Adrien said, juggling his drink and candy bars. “We could sleep here for a few hours and then go get some proper breakfast and find somewhere that will let us do an early check in.”

Marinette looked around the empty parking lot. “It feels a little creepy. I don’t know that I could sleep.”

“What if I’m keeping watch?” he offered. “I’m not really all that tired anyway but that way we could save a little gas too.” He nodded to the car. “You could curl up in the backseat if you wanted. You’d have a more room.”

They arranged themselves, Marinette settling in the backseat and Adrien getting adjusted in the passenger seat. Marinette watched his silhouette as he ate one of his candy bars, pausing every so often to drink. He would look around their surroundings for a moment before going in for another bite. 

“Do you think that man was really following us because of the box?” she asked quietly. She tucked her hands under her cheek. “Or were we just being paranoid?”

“What do you think?”

“I think he was following us.”

“I think so too.”

“So what’s that mean?”

Adrien blew out a rush of air. “I think it’s safe to say Fu was telling the truth about someone wanting the box.”

“Do you think we can really keep it safe?” Marinette frowned. “Hey, can you lean your seat back or something so I’m not just talking to the side of your face?”

He chuckled and reclined his seat. “Don’t let me squish your legs.”

“They’re fine,” she assured him as he turned on his side to look at her. “So do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Think we can keep it safe?”

“I don’t know. I mean, we’re just regular people, right? Unless you’re a super spy and you’ve been keeping it quiet.”

“Not a super spy.”

“Darn.” Adrien inhaled deeply. “I don’t know, Mari. Maybe? I think Fu chose us for a reason, you know? At least I hope he did.”

“I still don’t know why.”

“Me neither really.” His expression softened. “You need rest.”

“I feel too nervous to sleep.”

He reached between the seats. “Give me your hand,” he instructed, “and close your eyes.”

Marinette obeyed, relishing in the warm feeling of his palm pressing against hers. There was silence for a few moments and then Adrien was humming softly. Marinette wasn’t familiar with the tune but it was lovely and he was sweet and the car was so warm now. She felt sleep ease its way through her body little by little until the last thing she knew was Adrien’s hand holding hers and his voice in her ear.


	6. Admiration

“That should do it,” Marinette smiled, examining her handiwork before offering Adrien’s shirt back to him. “A Dupain-Cheng special.”

Adrien ran his fingers along the neat stitches near the hem of his shirt. “You’re amazing.”

Marinette blushed and busied herself with gathering the random bits of sewing paraphernalia to stuff back in her bag.

“You always do that.”

She looked up in surprise. “Do what?”

“When I compliment you, you get blushy and act like you have something very important to suddenly do,” he grinned. “It’s cute. Everything you do is cute.”

Marinette felt her cheeks burn. “Stop,” she whined.

“Nope.” Adrien popped the last half of the word with amusement in his eyes.

“Well, you’re cute too!” she huffed, standing up and crossing the room in frustration. She dropped her sewing bag on top of her suitcase and turned to him, crossing her arms.

“You think I’m cute?”

Marinette rolled her eyes though her cheeks still burned. “You know you’re cute, Adrien. You rely on it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Mr. I got three free sausage biscuits this morning because I flirted and winked at the cashier.”

“I was just being nice!”

Marinette laughed. “I know you were. You’re always nice.” She shook her head. “Forget I said anything. We need to finish packing so we can check out.”

“What if we stay here another day?”

“You think that’s safe?” Marinette shifted her weight. “Fu did just transfer more money into the account so we could afford it.”

“I think we’re okay for one more day. We could go explore the city, get some walking in. I don’t know if I can do the car today.”

Marinette smiled. “I think that sounds really nice.”  
______________________

Marinette inhaled deeply before taking a sip of her coffee. People passed by them along the sidewalk, ducking into nearby stores and chatting happily. “If I close my eyes, it almost feels like home,” she murmured.

Adrien hummed noncommittally. 

“Are you okay?”

He pursed his lips, hands wrapped around his coffee cup. “I need to say something but I feel like it might make things awkward.”

Marinette felt her stomach drop, the pleasantness of moments before washing away. She glanced down at the backpack at their feet, their hidden treasure snuggled deep inside. “What?” 

He looked at her. “I know I’m nice to everyone. It’s just the way I am.”

“I wasn’t trying to say that it’s a bad thing--”

Adrien held up a hand but gave her a helpless expression. “Can I finish?”

Marinette flushed and nodded, sitting back in her seat. 

“I know I’m nice to everyone, but it’s important to me that you realize that the way I’m nice to you is different.” He dropped his gaze to his cup. “That’s all.”

“I don’t...”

He laughed softly, still not meeting her eyes. “I like you, Marinette. Nothing has to change but I thought maybe I should tell you that.”

“You like me?” she squeaked. “Like...”

He ducked his head, peeking at her from his bangs. “Like I have a crush on you and you’re the only reason I haven’t lost my mind on this trip already. And now I feel like an awkward teenager so I’m just going to sit here and finish my coffee and we can forget this happened.”

Marinette tried to think of a quick response that was more than a shrill sound leaking from her lips but she came up empty.

“Want to walk around a little more?” Adrien asked, standing and tossing his coffee cup in the bin nearby. “This street seems to have a lot on it.” He picked up their backpack and shouldered it.

Marinette nodded, following his lead as her head filled with all of the thoughts she had been trying to keep away.


	7. Modeling

“Um, Adrien?” Marinette called. “You really need to come out here.”

“Can it wait a few minutes?” he asked through the motel bathroom door.

“You’re on TV!”

“What?!” The door swung open and Adrien stepped out, one hand clasped tightly around a towel at his waist and his hair dripping wet.

Marinette caught herself staring at him before swallowing thickly and returning her attention to the television, turning up the volume.

“...said Agreste. According to Gabriel, his son, Adrien Agreste, a well-known model in France, is doing a secret campaign, touring the US in anticipation of the Gabriel New York fashion house opening its doors right in time for Fashion Week. Fans of fashion are encouraged to seek out Adrien and update sightings on the official Gabriel website. He will be awarding fifty special fans with premium passes to the first US Gabriel show as they find him along the tour.”

A stock photo of Gabriel and Adrien appeared on the screen along with information about where to report Adrien sightings.

“So, uh, I guess your dad is looking for you?” Marinette watched a bead of water drop from the end of Adrien’s hair and roll down his shoulder. His expression was frozen, eyes glued to the screen even as the news anchor began talking about the next subject. “Adrien?”

“I’m not even modeling anymore,” he said, voice quiet. “I haven’t modeled in over a year. He said I was done.” His shoulders sagged. “What is he even doing? We’re in the middle of something really important!” He started to pace and Marinette watched the other side of the towel slip down his hip. She quickly looked down at her lap.

“Maybe you could call him and ask that he stop this?”

Adrien let out a humorless chuckle. “You really don’t know my father.”

“This all seems so dramatic.”

“Or maybe you do know him,” he sighed. “He talked about starting a house in New York so that was a possibility, but he knows I don’t have tickets to any show. He’s trying to smoke me out.”

Marinette dared a glance and was relieved to see Adrien had readjusted his towel once more. “What do you want to do?”

He chewed on his lip for a moment. “We can’t stop moving.”

“Not really.”

“And we already know people are following us. If I try to reach out to him, it could be tracked.”

Marinette helplessly shrugged. “Maybe? I’m not sure how hardcore everything is right now. The other night was scary but the longer we go without seeing anyone tailing us, the more I wonder if we blew it out of proportion a little.” She watched Adrien for a moment. “What are you thinking?”

“I need a disguise.”

“Like what?”

“Like...” he frowned. “Like maybe we could dye my hair or something? That would help, right? We could cut it. Maybe I could wear a hat anytime we’re out. I’ve already gained some weight. That might help.”

She grimaced. “I don’t know how to dye or cut hair, Adrien.”

“I want to keep protecting the box.” He sat down on the edge of her bed, careful to keep himself covered as much as possible with the towel. “I want to protect you,” he added softly. “I can’t do that with my face plastered all over the screen. I’ve lived that life before. It wasn’t fun for me.”

Marinette recalled seeing different ads starring Adrien through the years. She hadn’t followed his career very closely, not even recognizing him at first when Fu brought them together. If Gabriel was going to run stories with his son’s picture everywhere though, it was only a matter of time before they started getting more attention than they wanted. 

“Okay,” she nodded. “No one knows who I am. I’ll go to the drug store and get what we need.”

He gave her a relieved look. “Thank you. For a minute I was afraid you were going to tell me to go back home.”

Marinette pushed out a forced laugh as she stood. “Don’t worry. I’m too selfish to do that right now.”

Adrien stood up as well, gathering up the corner of the towel once more. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for wanting me with you,” he said, voice soft.

She nodded, unable to articulate any response before moving past him to the door. “I’ll be back. Any color preference?”

He grinned. “Surprise me.”


	8. Pool Party

“Does it look bad?”

Marinette blinked, looking away from the kids playing in the motel pool. “What?”

“Earlier you were staring at my hair.” Adrien tentatively touched his newly short, brown hair. “It is okay?”

“It looks really nice,” Marinette smiled. “If I do say so myself.”

He gave her a relieved grin. “Thanks. Sorry I keep worrying about it.”

“It is a big change,” she shrugged. “Although I don’t think it’s fair that somehow your eyes look even greener now.”

“Thank you,” Adrien blushed happily as he stretched out on the lounger. “The sun feels so good today.”

“I know. I feel like I could fall asleep out here.”

Adrien reached over to poke Marinette’s bare side. “Don’t go doing that, Mari. You’ll burn.” He tilted his head. “Actually, do you want some fresh sunscreen?”

Marinette squeaked at his touch. “Oh, that’s okay! I’m fine!”

“You’re looking a little pink.”

She stood and picked up her towel, pulling it around her. “Probably enough pool time for me then. I’ll just go back to the room. Enjoy yourself out here a little longer and relax. We can do dinner when you come back.”

Adrien held up the sunscreen bottle. “Are you sure? We don’t get to do this often.”

“Sure! Super sure!” Marinette scooped up her bag and and waved before quickly making her way out of the pool area. She hurried along the cracked walkway and let herself into their room, sinking down on the edge of her bed with a deep exhale.

Doing his hair the day before had been the final nail in her coffin. Spending an hour leaning over a shirtless Adrien with her fingers in his hair had proven to be almost too much for her poor psyche. He watched her in the mirror, eyes intent as Marinette spread the dark dye through the blonde. The color she picked up was soft, not too dark but still definitely brown. He closed his eyes, humming happily as Marinette dried his hair. 

Marinette looked down at her fingers, rubbing them together as if she could still feel his hair. He had been so patient as she cut, constantly pausing and rewinding a video on YouTube to make sure she didn’t butcher his hair. He thanked her with a hug and a kiss on her cheek when she was finished and Marinette had to lock herself in the bathroom for an hour with the excuse of a shower to calm down. And now he was offering to cover her in sunscreen as if she could survive something like that!

Obviously Adrien’s declaration of his feelings the week before had only been the beginning of a strategic battle plan to turn her into a stammering puddle of goo.

The door opened and Marinette jumped as Adrien ducked into the room. “Is it okay if I come back now too? It was a little boring out there by myself.”

“It’s your room too,” Marinette replied, proud of how even her voice sounded.

Adrien nodded, standing at the edge of his bed. “Uh, so did I do something wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“I know I’ve been a little more open about how I feel but if it makes you uncomfortable, please tell me and I’ll back off.”

“No, it isn’t that.”

“But there is something,” he prodded.

Both of them clad in only their bathing suits hadn’t seemed quite as intimate in the area around the pool but in their closed room, the air crackled with tension. “Maybe we should get ready for dinner and we can talk then?” Marinette suggested, her pulse hammering.

“Sure,” Adrien agreed, voice soft. “We can do that.”


	9. Jealous

Marinette’s leg bounced as she waited for Adrien to fill his cup and join her at the table. She anxiously scratched her thumbnail against the edge of the plastic tray on the table. As soon he sat down, she began to talk.

“Okay, so here’s the thing.”

Adrien widened his eyes and nodded. “I’m listening.”

“Obviously I like you. A person would have to be crazy not to like you. You’re extremely likable, like a thirteen on a scale of one to ten,” Marinette rambled, not meeting his eyes as she picked at the bread of her sub. “Also, I was hoping brown hair would somehow make you less cute and it backfired on me.”

“Um, thank you?” he blushed.

“But the problem is that we are together like every second of every day so if I like you and you like me then we are going to be liking each other all the time,” she continued.

“And that’s a problem?”

She gave him a helpless look. “Obviously.”

“Obviously,” he echoed, pursing his lips. “Am I allowed to ask why?”

“Because...because we’re stuck together! So what if one day you decide you don’t like me anymore? There’s nowhere to go. I’m trying to be smart about this.”

Adrien nodded. “Well, first of all, I’m not going to wake up one day and decide I don’t like you so you can go ahead and scratch that off the list.”

“You might. We’ve known each other a total of three weeks now. That’s not very long.”

“I won’t. Secondly, if we both like each other and we’re stuck together anyway, how is trying to ignore it going to do any good?”

Marinette groaned and pushed her tray to the side so she could drop her head to the table. “I knew I should’ve said I was dating someone else.”

Adrien stiffened. “Wait, are you dating someone else?”

She hid her face. “No, but I was tempted to tell you I was,” she mumbled.

“Well, then I would’ve been jealous and still had a crush on you. Good thing we’re just at one out of two. Just so I understand where we are,” he said, “I like you and you like me, right?”

She sat up and nodded miserably.

“And we’re both attractive and super single.”

Marinette giggled as pink rushed across her cheeks. “Yes.”

“And we’re stuck together indefinitely but fortunately really enjoy each other’s company.”

“Mmhmm.”

Adrien nodded and picked up his sandwich, biting into the end of it and chewing thoughtfully. Marinette watched him and he winked at her.

“So you understand then?” she finally asked.

“Sure, but you should let me be your boyfriend anyway,” he grinned.


	10. Holding Hands

“Cookie?” Adrien broke his chocolate chip cookie in half and held one part across the table.

“You can’t just offer me a cookie like it’s no big deal that you just told me you’re going to be my boyfriend!” Marinette exclaimed.

“Technically I said you should let me be your boyfriend. You could say no.” He jiggled the cookie. “Do you want it?”

“The cookie or you as my boyfriend?”

“Both,” he grinned.

Marinette flushed, taking the cookie. “This is a bad idea.”

“There’s the romantic spirit!” Adrien beamed.

“This is so weird,” she laughed softly before biting into the cookie. “Mmm, this is nice though. I shouldn’t be eating a cookie before my sandwich but I guess since we’re being rebellious already...”

“Really, I don’t think a lot is going to change.”

“How so?”

“Well, we may only add a few things like maybe I’ll do this sometimes.” He reached across the table and covered her hand with his, squeezing gently. “Who knows? We might be walking down the street and our fingers will accidentally get tangled and then there we’ll be, holding hands.”

“You’re too smooth, you know that?”

Adrien grinned. “Yeah?”

Marinette shook her head with a small smile before meeting his eyes again. “We can take it slow though, right?”

“Absolutely. Whatever you need.”

They smiled at each other for a few moments and then Marinette jumped when she felt the strap of the backpack on the ground at her feet jerk around her ankle. She turned to see a woman at the table next to them leaning over the bag that was now halfway pulled from behind Marinette’s chair.

“Sorry,” the woman said sheepishly, releasing the bag and holding up a hand. “I lost my earring and thought I saw it on top of your bag.”

Marinette pulled her foot sharply so the bag slid back under the chair. “That’s okay,” she said stiffly.

“Could I look again?” the woman pressed.

Alarm bells went off in Marinette’s head so she exchanged a look with Adrien before pulling the backpack up into her lap. She made a show of looking it over, one hand tightly coiling the strap around her wrist. “I don’t see anything. Sorry.”

“I could’ve sworn it fell into your bag. Maybe you could open it for me in case it fell inside?”

“We’re leaving.” Adrien stood, chair protesting as it was pushed roughly back against the floor. “Do you want me to carry your bag, sweetheart?”

Marinette nodded, only releasing her hand from the straps once it was fully on Adrien’s back.

“You can’t leave! Someone help! They’re trying to steal my bag!” the woman yelled, looking around the small dining room at the startled diners. She grabbed Marinette’s wrist, fingernails digging into her skin as she leaned in close. “That box belongs to Hawkmoth. You’re not leaving here with it.”

Marinette looked at Adrien with wide eyes. “Run!”

He looked to the door before taking two quick steps forward and ramming his shoulder against the woman’s arm, causing her to drop Marinette’s wrist in surprise. “Not without you,” Adrien grunted, taking up Marinette’s hand and pulling her with him as they pushed through the door and out into the sunlight. 

They ran to the car without a word, the workers and patrons of Subway filing out into the parking lot to watch as they peeled away from their parking space. Marinette caught a glimpse of the woman watching them from the doorway, eyes narrowed and a phone to her ear.

“What the hell,” she panted, rubbing at the angry red marks on her wrist. “How did she...”

“Someone’s been following us again,” Adrien growled. “I wasn’t paying enough attention.” He glanced at her wrist. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” She turned to look back at the restaurant shrinking into the distance. “If I hadn’t had the strap around my ankle, we could’ve lost it just like that.” She shook her head. “How did she even know? Is it me now?”

“Maybe. If that guy from Waffle House took our picture or something, maybe that’s how they know what we look like, even with my new hair.”

Marinette ran an anxious hand through her hair. “What should we do?”

“I don’t think we should stop for a while. Just get stuff through drive-thrus and maybe find a couple of rest stops to sleep at just for a few nights.”

“We don’t need to go in the same direction either,” Marinette decided as Adrien pulled onto the interstate. “Maybe go north for a while and then west.”

“Yeah.” 

Marinette watched Adrien’s jaw tick as his hands tightened on the steering wheel. She reached over and squeezed his hand. He lifted it off the steering wheel immediately, linking their fingers together. “Thank you for not leaving me even though I told you to,” she said quietly.

He sent her a quick grin. “That’s just part of the boyfriend package.”

They fell into silence, unsure of what was ahead of them but finding certainty in each other.


	11. Slow Dance

“Are you okay?” Adrien asked as they quietly made their way along the dimly lit walkway to their assigned motel room.

“Torn between wanting to cry with joy at the thought of a hot shower and a bed and being scared it’s a mistake to stay here,” Marinette sighed, stopping in front of their door and adjusting the straps of the backpack.

“I know exactly what you mean.” He pushed the door open and they got into the room quickly, locking themselves in. “Home, sweet home.”

“Or something close enough for right now,” Marinette said tiredly.

“Hey, come here.” Adrien took her duffel bag and eased the backpack from her shoulders, setting them on the bed. He pulled her close and began to sway.

She giggled softly. “Are we slow dancing?”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed, slowly turning them.

“Because we can?”

He kissed her cheek and stepped back, releasing her. “Pretty much. It’s just nice not to be in the car.”

“That’s definitely true.”

“You want to shower first?”

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” he smiled.

Marinette kissed his cheek and moved her bag to the bed farthest from the door as usual. “Think we’ll hear from Fu soon?”

“It’s been over a week so hopefully. It’d be nice if we actually get to talk to him this time. Getting money deposited into the account is good but I’m ready for some answers.”

“Agreed.” Marinette took her bathroom bag out and a change of clothes. “I’ll be right out.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Adrien winked as he grabbed the remote and flopped down on the bed. 

Marinette undressed in the small bathroom as steam rose over the old shower curtain. She sighed in relief as she stepped under the spray, feeling days of travel wash away. She had been scared to relax but the hot water was making it difficult to stay on guard. The past few days had been difficult, the only brightness in them was the fact that there was nothing to hide around Adrien anymore.

He was halfway right when he said that things wouldn’t really change between them. They still talked constantly, somehow finding things to say even though they were together at all times. There were silences too though, their hands clasped together as they watched the road ahead of them. That part was newer. Marinette smiled at the thought of Adrien’s hand, warm in hers. 

And though she let herself spiral into the feeling that was purely Adrien, she had to admit that it was nice having this space to herself for a few moments. Her mind began to wander. This was the first room they were staying in since they decided to start dating (or whatever one would call mutually liking each other while on the run from mysterious henchmen). At the rest stops, they took turns looking out the first night and then ended up cuddled in the backseat the following two nights. Would Adrien expect for them to share a bed now? That felt like a lot.

Marinette frowned, working shampoo into her hair. They hadn’t kissed yet, unless cheek kisses counted which Marinette didn’t think they did. Would Adrien expect them to sleep in the same bed and kiss and... 

She inhaled sharply, ducking her head under the water so that foamy shampoo ran down her skin.   
____________________________

Adrien jumped when the burner phone started to buzz on the nightstand. He grabbed it quickly. “Hello?!”

“I take it as a good sign that you answered so quickly,” Fu responded, tone even.

“We’ve been hoping to hear from you soon.”

“Is Marinette with you?”

“She’s in the shower. If you can wait, I’m sure she’ll be out soon.”

“No, we don’t need to stay on long. Plans have changed. You need to get to New York City. A contact will meet you there and provide you with airline tickets back home. You’ll be leaving the box with him.”

Adrien’s eyes darted to the backpack. “You’re firing us?”

“You’ve been compromised,” Fu sighed. “At another time, I thought that perhaps you...” He trailed off. “But no, I was a fool to send you on this errand.”

Indignation bubbled up inside and Adrien stood and began to pace the small room. “You chose us for this. You plucked us out of our lives and sent us here and now you’re saying it was for nothing?!”

“I thought I was doing the right thing.”

The bathroom door opened and Marinette peaked out, the white motel towel spiraled on top of her head. “Fu?” she mouthed.

Adrien gave her a sharp nod and Marinette went to the edge of her bed, sitting down and fidgeting with the hem of her sleep shorts.

“Can you guarantee our safety if we come back? You thought Hawkmoth was in Paris. He knows we’ve been carrying the box. What’s to stop him from taking Marinette off the street one day just because?” Adrien demanded.

“I don’t have an answer for that right now.”

“Then we’re not coming back.”

Marinette’s eyes widened and Adrien’s shoulders sagged. He perched on the edge of the bed with her, leaning close so she could hear the other side of the conversation.

“This is bigger than the two of you,” Fu insisted, anger rising in his voice.

“Yeah, that’s the lie we believed in the beginning too.” Adrien ended the call and tossed the phone back on the bed behind them.

“I need details,” Marinette demanded.

“He wants us to go to New York. A contact would be there waiting for us to take the box and give us plane tickets to go back home.”

“And you said no?”

“I should’ve talked to you.” He took her hand, linking their fingers as if it was the most natural movement in the world. “He just made me angry.”

“I’m sure he’ll call back.”

“He’ll probably only want to talk to you from now on.” He looked at her. “Are you mad at me?”

“I don’t know yet. I do want to go home, but...” She looked at the backpack. “This is really serious. You had a point. Home doesn’t sound like it’ll be any safer right now.”

“Yeah, but I shouldn’t have just decided for you.”

“No, but thanks for realizing it.” She knocked her shoulder against his. “Why don’t you go get a shower? I think it’ll make you feel better.”

“And make me smell better,” he added sheepishly.

“That too.” Marinette watched Adrien rummage through his bag until he found everything he needed and disappear into the bathroom. She picked up the phone, turning it over in her hands in a mindless cycle as she stared at the backpack. They had decisions to make.


	12. Lucky Charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading. I'm dreadfully behind on answering comments so please know that I appreciate them all very much and I'm so glad everyone has been enjoying this AU because I've been having a lot of fun playing around with it. <3

Adrien stepped out of the bathroom, toweling his hair. “You have your thinking face on.”

Marinette shot him a quick smile. “That’s because I’m thinking.” She had taken the box of Miraculous out of the backpack and set it on the dresser beside the television. 

“What about?”

“What if we look inside?”

“Really?”

She shrugged. “Look, I’m not sure how I feel about handing this thing off when we’ve been running and trying to keep it safe for weeks now. Maybe if we had some idea of what we’ve been carrying, that would help? I don’t know.” She shook her head. “Something just feels off to me.”

“I know what you mean. Fu said something earlier that’s been bothering me.”

“What?”

Adrien sat down beside her on the bed. “He said something about another time. It kind of felt like he thought something would happen with us and the box that hasn’t happened. Does that make sense?”

“Seems like a check in the pro column of opening it.” Marinette worried her bottom lip. “Of course, Fu has been sketchy at times which could almost move it to the con column.”

“We did pretty much trust some strange little man who gave us a funny box and told us to run,” Adrien pointed out. “Not exactly wise on either of our parts.”

Marinette chuckled softly.

“What?”

“That thing you said, it almost sounded like something out of Doctor Who.”

Adrien grinned. “I do love Doctor Who.” He stared back at the box. “You don’t think that one is bigger on the inside, do you?”

Marinette inhaled deeply. “Only one way to figure out, I suppose.” They stood together, clasping hands as they crossed the small space to stand in front of the box. 

“Maybe I should open it,” Adrien said quickly. “In case it’s booby-trapped or something.”

“Do you think it is?”

“I don’t know. it could be. We don’t know anything about it.”

Marinette frowned. “Did Fu ever specifically tell you not to open it?”

Adrien furrowed his brow. “Well, no, not that I can remember.”

“We’ll open it together then,” Marinette decided, putting one hand on the edge of the lid. “Wait!” She turned back towards her bag and rummaged around in it.

“What are you doing?” Adrien peeked over her shoulder.

“Looking for this!” Marinette produced a string of beads. “it’s my lucky charm. I figured it couldn’t hurt to keep it close by while we do this.”

Adrien grinned, taking it in his hand. “Lucky charm, huh?” He turned it over, touching each bead. “I’d say it’s been working hard lately.”

“Right?” Marinette took a deep breath and put one hand back on the lid of the box while the other gripped her lucky charm. “Ready?” Adrien nodded and placed his hand beside hers. “One, two, three.”

They lifted the lid and peered down at the tray set directly inside. “Jewelry?” Adrien asked. He ran his fingers along a hair comb set with a bee. “We’ve been running with jewelry. It doesn’t even look like very expensive jewelry.”

Marinette lifted the foxtail necklace out of the box, watching the light glint off of it as it swung from her grasp. “It’s cool but yeah, this doesn’t seem like something that should be hunted.”

“Maybe this a decoy tray? Maybe there’s something underneath it like diamonds or missile codes or I don’t know, something other than this.”

“These are missing.” Marinette tapped her finger in the purple and blue sections. “Maybe butterfly and...peacock from the icons? Since the others seem to have a sort of animal theme.” She touched the soft green of another section. “This must be a turtle one.”

“This one is pretty cool.” Adrien scooped up the black ring in the middle section and a ball of energy burst in front of his face, causing him to drop the ring. It clattered back to the box, falling into the purple butterfly section. “What the hell?” he murmured, sparing a quick glance at a wide-eyed Marinette before returning his attention to the small floating cat-like creature in front of him.

“So, what have you got to eat around here? I’m starving.”


	13. Group Project

Plagg licked the remains of the vending machine danish from his paws. “Fu didn’t tell you guys anything, huh?”

“Not so much, no,” Adrien muttered. “So you’re a--what did you call it again?”

“A kwami.”

“Right, and you’re magic,” Marinette supplied.

“Sure, if that’s the term you want to use. Hey, do you have any more of those danish things? They’re awful but I’m hungry.”

“You’ve already eaten three.” Adrien poked at Plagg’s stomach. “Where does it even go?”

“Watch it, Kid.” He nodded to the ring. “How’s the fit?”

Adrien flexed his fingers. “Perfect. Which is weird, right?”

Plagg winked and then looked Marinette up and down. “Yeah, I can see why you were chosen for Tik. You’ve got the look about you.”

“Tik?” Marinette asked, eyes still a little wide. She was certain she was going to wake up soon because there was no way they had been traveling around with little magic creatures trapped in jewelry the past few weeks.

“Tikki, your kwami.”

Marinette blinked. “I don’t have a kwami.”

“You will once you put those earrings on.”

She looked down at the red earrings in the tray of the box. There were five black dots on each so they looked like the shell of a ladybug. “Why?” She looked up at Plagg. “Why should I?”

“What? You don’t want to match your boyfriend? He seems to like me.” Plagg perched on Adrien’s shoulder and Adrien grinned. 

“It is kinda cool,” he admitted.

“Just wait, Kid. It gets cooler.”

“You know I’m twenty-five, right?”

“Would you rather I call you Infant instead of Kid?” Plagg snorted. “That’s what you are to me.” He returned his attention to Marinette. “Take them.”

Marinette exchanged a look with Adrien and he shrugged. “I think it’s pretty awesome. It can’t hurt to try.”

As soon as Marinette’s fingers grazed the cool top of one of the earrings, a ball of light appeared in front of her and revealed another kwami.

Tikki giggled happily. “Hello, Marinette! I’ve been excited to meet you.”  
_______________________

“Just so I have this straight,” Marinette said, offering Tikki another small cookie from the bag. “Fu planned for us to open this box and wake you guys up?”

“Mmhmm,” Tikki hummed.

“Then why didn’t he just tell us that?!”

“Because he’s one of those mystic types who thinks you should figure it out on your own.” Plagg rolled his eyes. “Personally, I think that takes too long.”

“So that’s why he wanted us to hand the box off to someone else?”

“I’m guessing one of the other holders he had picked out,” Plagg nodded.

“But we’re so glad you found us,” Tikki added.

Marinette tucked her hair behind her ear, finger brushing against the earring. “What does this mean though?”

“When Fu woke us up, we had been asleep for a really long time,” Tikki explained. “But Wayzz sensed the Butterfly Miraculous surrounded by a dark energy.”

“The Hawkmoth guy?” Adrien asked, leaning back against the headboard.

Plagg snorted. “What a dumb name.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I understand still,” Marinette sighed. 

“We can transform you. Give you the powers you need to defeat Hawkmoth and bring the Butterfly Miraculous back to where it belongs.”

Adrien’s eyes lit up. “Really? Like superpowers?!”

Tikki nodded. “The Ladybug and the Black Cat are two parts of a whole; creation and destruction. The Ladybug is key to taking down the Butterfly holder because she is the only one who can cleanse the corrupted akumas.”

“Which are the bad things that turn people into monsters?” Marinette asked.

“Right. So your job is very important. Fu was worried even before he put us back to sleep that too much damage would be done before it could be fixed.”

“But wouldn’t we have heard about monsters taking over Paris?” Adrien frowned, sitting up. “I know we’re a long way from home but I’m pretty sure that would’ve been in the news.”

“He knows we’re here though,” Marinette replied, worrying her bottom lip. “Why try to draw us out there when he knows we’re here? He could make chaos, I guess, but it seems like he really just wants the box.” She looked towards the box on the dresser. “But why?”

“Why does anyone do stuff like this?” Plagg sighed. “Ultimate power.”

Tikki looked between Adrien and Marinette. “No matter what, the Miraculous can’t fall into his hands. You must keep them safe.”

“And there are other kwamis in the jewelry too?”

“Yeah, but they’re waiting for their moment,” Plagg said with a careless wave. “Don’t worry too much about it.”

“Okay, I think I understand mostly but I’m still not sure what you want us to do.” Marinette moved back on the bed so she could sit against the headboard with Adrien. “How do we fight Hawkmoth here?”

“You don’t.”

Adrien took Marinette’s hand in his, squeezing gently. “You did say you wanted to go home, sweetheart.”


	14. Confess

“I have to admit, this is making me a little sad.” Adrien closed the trunk on their luggage. “I knew it couldn’t last forever but this whole roadtrip thing has kind of been the highlight of my life.” He chuckled softly at Marinette’s expression. “You don’t feel that way at all, do you?”

“It isn’t that,” she protested as they rounded their respective sides of the car and got in. 

“You just really miss home,” Adrien nodded. “I know.”

Marinette fastened her seatbelt and reached over to take his hand. “There are definitely things about this that I’m going to miss too.”

Adrien blushed and squeezed her hand before releasing it to to turn the key in the ignition.

“Well, you two are just hopeless, huh?” Plagg piped up from the backseat. Tikki shushed him from their nest of discarded hoodies and vending machine snacks.

“Besides,” Marinette said quickly, trying to cover her embarrassment at Plagg’s remark, “it’s still going to take us a few days to get to New York. We aren’t quite away from generic motels and greasy food yet.”

“And even when we get back to Paris...” Adrien trailed off.

Marinette felt her cheeks warm. “So you still want this when we get back?” She gestured vaguely between them.

His eyes widened as he looked away from the road for a moment. “I mean, yeah, I do, unless this wasn’t something you wanted to keep doing?”

“No! I mean, yes! I mean, uh...” Marinette squeezed her eyes shut and pulled her knees up to her chest. “Yes, I still want to date you,” she murmured.

“Hopeless,” Plagg repeated.  
_________________________

“Why were you so surprised?”

Marinette blinked up from the stack of fries she had been constructing on her burger wrapper. “What?”

Adrien picked up his cup and took a sip. “You seemed surprised that I would want to still date you even when we get home. I guess I’m just wondering why.”

“That was hours ago.”

“It’s been bugging me,” he shrugged. “Did I do something that made you think I wasn’t serious about this?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what is it?” he pressed.

“Nothing really, I promise. I just hadn’t thought about it yet.” She saw Adrien’s brow furrow. “Until last night, we didn’t know when we were going home,” she added gently.

He nodded. “I know.” He ducked his head. “Okay, this is going to sound super insecure but I feel like I need to say it.”

Marinette straightened. “Okay, what’s up?”

“I don’t like the guy I am back home, and I don’t know that you will either.”

“What do you mean?”

Adrien sighed. “Before this, I rarely made any of my own decisions. I live in an apartment my father chose and pays for and it was a fight to even get that. Someone else handles my schedule. I don’t even do my own grocery shopping.”

Marinette thought back to her tiny apartment she had worked so hard for and the job she most likely no longer had. “Oh.”

“I don’t want to be that guy anymore though.” Adrien sent her a tentative smile. “I had no idea that it could be like this.”

“What?”

“Life,” he grinned, picking up a fry.

“I don’t know. From over here, that life sounds kinda nice,” Marinette said with a small smile of her own. “Some months, it felt like I was scraping my rent together by diving for change in my couch cushions.”

“We haven’t had much money out here though and we’ve still made do,” he pointed out. “We’ve still been happy.”

“Except for the near death experiences.”

“Well, sure, if you have to bring those up,” he huffed dramatically before winking. “Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I’m changing and the guy you left Paris with is different from the one you’re going back with.”

Marinette tilted her head with a teasing glint in her eye. “But you’re still Adrien, right?”

“Just for you,” he promised with a playful smile.


	15. Heartache

Adrien watched Marinette go through her nighttime ritual at the sink across the room. It was amazing how well they had gotten to know each other in almost two months but being together with another person nonstop tended to have that effect. He watched her set her toothbrush on the folded hand towel and knew she would be going for her facewash next.

He sat on the edge of his bed, stomach uneasy as he waited for her to finish. They would meet up with Fu’s contacts tomorrow morning. Apparently the new contacts were a team of two, just like they were. They would give them the box and hope that the new contacts were as clueless as they were and not check to see if all of the jewelry was still there. Plagg and Tikki seemed confident in the plan, at least. 

The kwamis were curled together on one of Marinette’s pillows. Adrien noticed they stayed as close to each other as they could when possible. His eyes wandered to Marinette’s back again. He could understand that feeling. She turned to him with a sleepy smile. “What?” she asked, turning off the light.

“I, uh, I was wondering if you would want to share a bed tonight?” Adrien felt his cheeks warm. “Since it’s our last night doing this and all. If you don’t want to, that’s okay too though.”

Marinette’s cheeks went pink and she nodded. “Okay.”

Adrien beamed at her and got in the far side of the bed as she turned off the lamp and tentatively slid into the other side. “Is it alright if I hold you?” he asked softly.

“Yes, please,” Marinette whispered, scooting until she felt Adrien’s chest against her back. She made herself relax into his warmth and felt Adrien’s arms tighten around her.

“Is this okay?” His voice was barely a whisper in the darkness of the room.

“It’s really okay,” Marinette smiled, inhaling deeply. She felt Adrien kiss the back of her head.

“Good.”

“I’ve never done this before,” she admitted. “I mean, I’ve had sleepovers with a friend but never...this.”

“I’ve never even had sleepovers,” Adrien sighed. 

“Really?”

“I had one friend growing up who I saw during fancy events and for sporadic playdates. That was really it.”

Marinette frowned. “That must’ve been really lonely.”

Adrien was quiet for a few moments but Marinette could feel his arm like a steady weight on her side, keeping her to him. “I had my parents, but, yeah, it really was,” he finally whispered. “Once I got older, I thought I had made a few friends but as soon as I stopped modeling and got away from that world, they disappeared with it. I guess I wasn’t worth the time once the perks dried up.”

“Then they were stupid.” Marinette adjusted her arm so she could link her fingers with Adrien’s. “You’re absolutely worth the time.”

Adrien relished the warmth that spread through his chest. 

“Are you worried about tomorrow?” Marinette asked, squeezing his hand.

“A little maybe. Did Fu tell you how to find our contacts?” 

“He told me where and then said I would know them when I see them. I’m not sure what that means but I guess we’ll hope for the best.”

“And hope that his contacts don’t think to check the box before we can get on the plane.”

Marinette rubbed the pad of her finger against Adrien’s ring. “Yeah, definitely that.”

“You two need to get some rest,” Tikki piped up from the other bed. “Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

“You’re right,” Marinette said sweetly. “Goodnight, Tikki. Goodnight, Plagg.”

Adrien kissed Marinette’s head again and shifted behind her. Marinette closed her eyes and tried to remember to breathe normally. It felt wonderful and breathtaking to have Adrien this close. Despite their official status and the gentle touches and cheek and head kisses, they had yet to actually kiss and the anticipation was slowly driving Marinette crazy. It felt like an elephant in the room, always there and waiting. 

She would kiss him tomorrow, she decided as sleep began to weigh heavily on her. As soon as they were safe with their plane tickets and heading back home, she would kiss him.


	16. Surprise

“What time is it?”

Adrien shot his girlfriend a fond smile. “About two minutes since last time you asked.”

Marinette flushed. “Sorry, I’m just feeling a little antsy.”

He squeezed her hand. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“An optimist,” Plagg scoffed from Adrien’s jacket. “Of course Fu chose an optimist.”

“I think it would help if I just knew who I was looking for. Fu could’ve at least told me who...” She trailed off, eyes trained on something in the distance. “Hey, I know them!”

Adrien followed her gaze. “The couple?”

“Yeah!” Marinette stood and then faltered. “That doesn’t mean that is who Fu sent though. It could just be coincidence.” She popped her forehead. “In fact, I’m sure it is. I can’t believe I forgot about their wedding. I just missed it. I bet they’re on their honeymoon.”

“I think they saw you.”

“Marinette!” Mylene picked up her speed as she waved and smiled, pulling a stoic-faced Ivan behind her.

Marinette stood from the small cafe table. “Mylene, hi!” They embraced and Mylene pulled back only enough so she could look up at Marinette.

“I’m guessing you weren’t expecting us, huh?” she asked with a small smile.

“Wait, Fu sent you guys?” Marinette whispered back.

“He said we would probably be watched so we shouldn’t look too suspicious,” she nodded, stepping back and pulling Ivan forward. “I can see why you missed the wedding now. Looks like you’ve been busy.” 

“I’m really sorry.”

Mylene waved a hand. “It was more for our families anyway.”

“Do you guys know what you’re getting into?” Adrien asked, standing by Marinette’s side.

“We wanted to talk to you first,” Ivan said quietly. The group crowded around the small table, keeping their voices low. “Master Fu approached us a week or so after you guys left.”

“Good to know he had faith in us,” Marinette muttered.

“I really think he did,” Mylene offered.

“He still does,” Ivan added. “He told us to trust your judgement today.”

Adrien leaned forward. “What do you mean?” 

“You guys are in charge, mostly,” Mylene explained. “He told us there is something that you’ve been keeping safe and that you may want to take the plane tickets and give us the secret thing and wash your hands of it.”

“Or you might want us all to go back to Paris,” Ivan continued. “Or you want to take it yourself and let us continue on with our honeymoon.”

“Ivan,” Mylene admonished.

“I don’t like this,” he grumbled. “It isn’t safe and I don’t want you mixed up in it.”

“And what about you?” she nudged his side with a soft smile before turning back to Adrien and Marinette.

“Do you know what it is we’re carrying?” Adrien asked carefully.

Mylene shook her head. “All we know is that it’s important to the safety of the world. No pressure or anything.” She let out a nervous laugh and Ivan’s grimace deepened.

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a look. “If we say we’re done,” Marinette said, “you guys are going to take this from us? You’ll go on the run with it and we’ll be free?”

Mylene nodded.

“Why?”

“Probably the same reason you did,” she admitted. “When someone tells you that you can save the world, it’s something you want to believe, isn’t it?”

“Do you have the plane tickets?”

Ivan sighed and reached down to pull them out of his bag. He handed them to Adrien, eyes tightening. 

“Thanks,” Adrien nodded. “Now, where are you two going on your honeymoon?”

They gave him a surprised look. “You’re taking it back with you?”

“If Fu trusted us to make this decision, I think it’s pretty evident what we have to do,” Adrien replied. “What do you think, sweetheart?”

Marinette reached over and squeezed his hand. “Let’s go meet Hawkmoth.”


	17. Bumping into Each Other

“I don’t consider myself a paranoid person,” Adrien said, settling back down into his seat.

“Then I more than make up for it for both of us,” Marinette replied, giving him her attention. “You saw something.”

He nodded. “Two rows from the bathroom, there is a man who looks familiar. I get the same feeling from him that I did that time at Waffle House.” His brow furrowed. “It’s almost like my mind has been cataloguing every time I’ve seen him but I didn’t put it together until now. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah.” Marinette spared a quick glance back between their seats. “He was watching us but looked away when he caught me looking,” she whispered when she turned her face again. “There isn’t much we can do stuck on a plane.”

“So we wait,” Adrien said, taking her hand.

“So we wait,” she nodded. She felt Tikki warm against her side where she was nestled in her jacket pocket and the strap of the backpack was a reassuring presence around her ankle.

“You’re not going to sleep now, are you?” Adrien frowned.

“Not if I can help it.”

“Tell me more about Ivan and Mylene then. They seemed nice.”

Marinette smiled. “They really are. They’ve been sweethearts since we were in school together. I actually helped with that a little.”

Adrien grinned, squeezing her hand. “Why, Mari, are you a matchmaker?”

“Only with them! Oh, and maybe Alya and Nino. And I may have encouraged Nathaniel to try talking to Chloe...”

“Wait, Nathaniel Kurtzberg?”

“You know him?”

“He’s dating my friend, Chloe,” he winked.

Marinette’s eyes widened. “You’re the model Chloe was always bragging about hanging out with.”

Adrien shook his head. “That sounds like her. She didn’t care about that when we hung out though.” He winced. “She’s really not as bad as she puts on sometimes.”

“I know. It took years to find out she wasn’t completely awful but we’re actually almost friendly now when we happen across each other’s paths.”

“It really is a small world.” Adrien rested his head against Marinette’s and inhaled deeply. “Who knows how many times you and I just missed bumping into each other.”

“And to think that all it took was a super secret mission to another country for us to meet up,” she laughed quietly.

“You really should try to rest,” he urged. “We’ve still got hours before we land.”

“What about you?”

Adrien straightened and poked his pocket, eliciting a grumble from the kwami inside. “I’ve got company; don’t you worry.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I’ll keep us safe. Sleep.”


	18. Umbrella

“He’s still following us,” Marinette murmured, her arm tightly wound around Adrien’s as they moved with the crowd through the airport.

“We need to lose him by the time we get to the street. We don’t want to lead him anywhere,” Adrien frowned. “Your friend is being kind enough to let us crash there tonight. I don’t want to bring trouble to his door.”

“An umbrella!” Marinette exclaimed suddenly, pulling Adrien from the crowd to one of the small gift shops off the terminal. “We should definitely get an umbrella. Remember, it looked like rain when we were landing.” She nodded towards the line of people purchasing the same black and red umbrellas and winked.

Adrien caught up to her line of thinking and kissed her temple proudly. “You’re absolutely right, sweetheart.”

The man following them had doubled back, leaning against a pillar across from the gift shop and seemingly engrossed in his cell phone. 

“We keep with this group,” Marinette whispered as they neared the register. “Hopefully it’s still raining and we can lose him in a sea of umbrellas.”

“Just in case I haven’t said it today, you’re brilliant,” Adrien grinned.

Marinette blushed. “It might not even work.”

He pulled her close. “I stand by my assessment.”  
___________________________

“He just got into the taxi behind us,” Marinette swore under her breath. “Damn this traffic.”

Adrien leaned forward to speak to the driver. “Sir, the man in the car behind us has been stalking me and I’m afraid for my girlfriend’s safety. Could you please take us to the closest police station?”

The driver eyed him and then looked at the car behind them in his rearview mirror. “Is this serious?”

“I swear on my life,” Adrien answered. “Please.”

The driver nodded and changed lanes as he pulled out in the main drag of traffic. 

“I’ll get us a ride from there,” Marinette murmured, pulling out her phone. They kept quiet the rest of hte trip, forcing themselves not to look back to see if they were being followed. 

They finally arrived at the police station and Adrien and Marinette unloaded their luggage and waved the taxi off. Their shadow had the option of pulling in right behind them or circling around the block. They watched the taxi carrying the man stay in traffic, the man glaring at them as he passed. Marinette glared right back.

“I’m glad you’re on my side,” Adrien chuckled quietly. “Do you see your friend? We need to get out of sight.”

Marinette was already leading him to the left where a sleek silver van was parked. She knocked twice on the back door and it swung open.

“Just the criminals I was hoping to pick up,” Nino grinned.


	19. Partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I will ever catch up on comments but thank you so much to those who have left them. It makes me very happy to see people enjoying this story. Thanks! <3

“I don’t understand,” Marinette said, watching a turtle kwami offer Tikki and Plagg tiny cups of tea where they sat in a circle on Nino’s kitchen counter.

Nino leaned back on the couch with a small frown. “If it helps at all, I wanted to tell you everything right off the bat, Mari. It was Master Fu’s idea to do the whole self-realization journey.”

“All we realized was that we spent almost two months with very little money in a strange country in poor accommodations for apparently no real reason,” Adrien spat, pacing the room. His shoulders sagged and he looked back at Nino and then Marinette. “I’m sorry. That was harsh. This is just a lot to take in.”

“You don’t have to tell me, dude,” Nino chuckled, holding up a hand. “Believe me, I get it.”

“So how long have you known about all this?” Marinette asked, scooting so Adrien could join her on the couch.

“Two or so years now? Master Fu found me right after the studio went bankrupt and I got laid off. He wanted me to be his apprentice.” He ran his hand through the short dark brown waves of his hair. “I’ll admit, I had no idea what I was getting into.”

“But you’ve done very well acclimating, Master,” Wayzz remarked from the counter.

“Dude, please don’t call me that,” Nino sighed. “Wayzz is new for me. He’s been with Master Fu for like a million years--”

“One-hundred and ninety years, Master.”

“That’s not possible.” Adrien shook his head. “Fu couldn’t have been more than seventy or eighty at the most.”

“He blames it on green tea. I tend to believe it was another green object myself.” Nino flicked his wrist out to show the jade turtle charm fastened around his wrist. “I try not to think about it too much right now.”

Marinette rubbed her temples. “What’s that mean? Are you in charge of all of this now?”

“Yes and no.” Nino gave his old friend a helpless look. “Master Fu has just kinda...disappeared. It was right after you guys left for the states.”

“But I talked to him two days ago,” Marinette argued.

“Yeah, he was still putting money in our account the whole time too,” Adrien added.

Nino nodded. “He said he would take care of you guys as long as he could, but I think that time has passed now that you’re back here. I’ve got to admit I’m glad you came back with the box. I kinda hated that he dragged Ivan and Mylene into this when they’re trying to get their life together started.” 

“This is all becoming so sketchy.” Marinette moved to the edge of the couch. “Just how many people does he have involved in this?”

“That I know of?” Nino pursed his lips, mentally counting. “Seven. And all of us are linked through school, like he was going through the roster or something but it’s been so long since we were all together.” His attention moved to Adrien. “All of us except you. I can’t figure out what made him choose you.” 

“Gee, thanks.” Adrien furrowed his brow.

“Aw, man, not like that. It’s just odd, you know? You don’t fit the pattern, I guess. You seem like a pretty chill guy, considering.”

Adrien gave him half a smile. “Thanks, I guess.”

Nino sighed. “Wayzz has sensed the energy signature from the Butterfly Miraculous growing stronger. He thinks Hawkmoth is going to start showing himself as a public threat soon.”

“Which is where we come in, right?” Adrien swept his thumb over the silver ring.

“Right,” Nino affirmed, glancing at Marinette. “You can still back out though.”

“Do you think I should?”

“Yes,” he admitted, “but that’s because I’m feeling selfish and protective of one my oldest friends who I feel like I’ve been lying to with all of this.”

Adrien linked his fingers with Marinette’s. “I’ll keep her safe.”

Nino nodded. “I believe that. I don’t know what happened on that trip but I can see it wasn’t all bad.”

Marinette blushed and tried to refocus on the business at hand. “So what’s our next move then?” She let out a short laugh. “Goodness, this all feels so surreal.”

Adrien gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“I think the best thing would be to get out so Paris can see you guys before Hawkmoth shows up to play. The city needs to know it isn’t defenseless.”

“What do you mean see us?”

Nino grinned. “You don’t know, do you?” He looked back at Tikki and Plagg. “Not even once?”

“They didn’t ask,” Plagg replied smugly.

Nino laughed. “It’s time to show you guys the power you’ve been protecting.”


	20. Scarf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a bit of a time jump between the last drabble and this one to get the creative juices flowing again. Marinette and Adrien have fully taken to their roles as Ladybug and Chat Noir. They’ve been battling akumas and searching for clues as to who Hawkmoth is so they can finally finish things. Adrien agreed to begin modeling again in an attempt to keep his relationship with his father but Gabriel often sends him back to the United States for publicity for the new fashion house. Carapace, Rena Rouge, and Queen B step in to help out when needed.

“You’re back!” Marinette jumped into Chat Noir’s outstretched arms as soon as he landed on her apartment rooftop. He laughed, spinning her around as his transformation fell.

“Oh, I’ve missed you!” Adrien kissed the top of her head and then her forehead and then her nose. Marinette giggled and kissed his lips.

“I’ve missed you too, Kitty.” She pulled him towards the rooftop door. “Come on, let’s get inside. I’m freezing.”

“What, no hug for me?” Plagg drawled as they went through the door.

Marinette plucked Plagg from Adrien’s shoulder and rubbed him against her cheek as a deep purr poured out from the kwami. “That’s more like it,” he grinned.

“Rotten, the both of them.” Tikki flew out of Marinette’s jacket and landed on Adrien’s open palm. “Did you have a nice trip, Adrien?”

“It was fine,” he shrugged as Marinette unlocked her apartment door. “I was really lonely though.”

“I’m just chopped liver, I guess.” Plagg flew into the open door and immediately took up residence in the kitchen, Tikki quick on his heels.

“Did you get to eat anything fun?” Marinette curled her legs underneath her on the couch and Adrien flopped down say he could lay his head in her lap.

“I snuck out one morning and ate one of those grits bowls at a Waffle House near a photoshoot,” he grinned. “It was totally worth getting up at four a.m.”

Marinette ran her fingers into his hair, finally back to natural blonde, or more accurately, as close to his natural blonde as the stylist could get. It had been one of the stipulations of taking on a new modeling contract with his father. She loved the blonde but found herself missing the box color brown sometimes. 

“You’re thinking about something.”

She smiled down at him. “What makes you say that?”

“You’ve got your thinking face on. Want to share?”

“It’s silly.”

“I like silly,” he prodded.

Marinette shook her head with a grin. “I just miss your brown hair sometimes. I do love your hair now though. It’s getting long again.”

Adrien grabbed one of her hands and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm. “Sometimes I miss it too. It was just us when I had brown hair. It feels like so long ago.” He bumped his head against her still hand and she laughed softly and began to scratch his scalp, watching his body relax along the length of the couch. “I wish I could bring you with me on my trips. You’re all I think about when I’m there.”

“I would like to go back someday. Do a proper trip to the United States. Maybe see more than the cheapest motels and fastest food joints.”

“Someday I’ll take you,” he promised. “How have things been here this week?”

“Two akumas but neither were overly difficult. It almost seemed like Hawkmoth was distracted.”

“I guess even assholes have other things to deal with.”

“Speaking of assholes, how was your father this week?” 

“Meowch,” Adrien grinned. “That’s your future father-in-law you’re talking about.”

Marinette laughed, cheeks going red. “Oh, I didn’t realize we were engaged.”

He waved a hand. “Soon enough. He was fine, I guess. We actually had dinner together one night which was kinda nice.”

“I’m glad.” Marinette willed her face to cool. Adrien had started saying things about marriage in the last few weeks. Dropping it into conversations in the casual manner he was so good at. It was him telling her to let him be her boyfriend all over again.

“I like this.” Adrien fiddled with the thin scarf looped around his girlfriend’s neck. “Did you make it?”

“I did some nervous knitting this week,” she admitted.

“Miss me that much?”

“Always.” She didn’t mean for the word to come out so soft, so needy. She felt her face flame again. She used to think of herself as an independent person and sometimes she felt like their impromptu road trip had taken that away somehow.

“Would you make me one?”

“Of course.”

He hummed happily and turned on his side with a yawn. “Can I stay here?” he asked sleepily.

“Always,” she whispered again, leaning down to kiss his head even as she heard Adrien’s breathing even out as sleep took him.


	21. Tendencies

A smile was blossoming on Ladybug’s face before her feet touched Adrien’s balcony. New colorful pots overflowing with flowers lined the available space. She bent down to smell a purple bloom and dropped her transformation so she could run the pads of her fingers along the soft petals of yellow flower.

“I was hoping you would like them.” Adrien leaned in the doorframe with a smile. 

She turned back to him. “I love them, thank you.”

“Maybe this will give you a reason to visit more often, my Lady.”

Marinette flushed and hugged him, letting him pull her inside and out of the cold. “As if I needed another reason.”

“You really like them though? I looked up ones that could survive in this climate well enough that ladybugs tended to like. I’ll have to bring them in soon but I wanted you to be able to see them first thing.”

“You’re the sweetest, most considerate boyfriend a girl could ever ask for.” She kissed his cheek. “It really doesn’t bother you that I’ve gotten a little...weird about flowers?”

“You don’t seem to judge me for developing an unhealthy obsession with yarn,” he teased, pulling her down to the couch with him.

“Oh!” Marinette’s eyes lit up and she reached into her purse and produced a roll of soft green yarn. “I did bring this to work on your scarf but I have a feeling it won’t last that long.”

Adrien eyed the yarn with a playful glint in his eye. “As if I needed any more confirmation we were made for each other.”

“Goof.”

“How was patrol?”

“Uneventful, just the way I like it. Alya says hi.”

“Did I tell you Nino and I are hanging out tomorrow?” Adrien took the ball of yarn and began to unwind it into a tangle.

Marinette watched him with fond exasperation. “I was hoping you guys would get along. I’m glad.”

“He’s really cool. I might have a friend crush.”

“I wouldn’t blame you even a little,” she laughed. 

Adrien pulled on the yarn. “I feel like I need to say thank you.”

“For letting you destroy the yarn ball that took me half an hour to roll?”

He looked at her with a horrified expression. “Oops?”

She laughed and pulled on the yarn. “You may as well keep having fun now, Kitty.”

“Sorry,” he murmured, rubbing his cheek against her shoulder. “But I wanted to say thank you for my new life.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve told you how things were for me before our trip. Sometimes I think I’m going to wake up and it was all a dream.”

“I promise it’s real.”

He sighed contently and leaned against her. “Thanks.”


	22. Fashion

Within being in Gabriel Agreste’s presence for fifteen seconds, Marinette knew with complete certainty that she did not like him. At all. A decade earlier, she would have probably been following after him like a puppy, eager to learn anything she could from the greatest designer in Paris. Now the very sight of him left a sour taste in her mouth, made worse by the hopeful look in Adrien’s eyes every time his father spoke to him during the photoshoot.

“You said you would give him a chance,” Adrien reminded her quietly with a kiss to her cheek as soon as he got a break.

“Who said I’m not?”

“The coldness in your eyes.”

Marinette’s shoulders sagged and she turned to him completely, taking in the intricate detail work on his suit jacket before meeting his eyes. “I’m sorry. After everything you’ve told me, I’m having a hard time not fantasizing about punching him in the throat.”

Adrien choked back a bark of surprised laughter. “That would be something to see, my Lady.” He held her hand in his. “I would really like it if you two could get along though.”

“He may not like me very much either.”

“Father is just... It’s not you. He’s like that with everyone.”

“That’s not much of an excuse,” she grumbled.

He nodded. “I know. If you want to leave, we can meet up later.”

“No,” she sighed. “I really do want to see one of your photoshoots.” They both looked back as the photographer’s assistant called Adrien’s name. “Go look pretty,” Marinette smiled, cupping his cheek.

“Don’t I always?” he winked, kissing her quickly before jogging across the space.

“He seems quite fond of you.”

Marinette jumped, turning to see Gabriel looking down at her over the frame of his glasses. “I’m quite fond of him as well.”

“I would hope so since you somehow convinced him to disappear to another country for months without barely a word. I’ll be frank, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I don’t like your influence on my son. It’s not healthy.”

“It’s unfortunate that you feel that way, Mr. Agreste. I have no intention of going anywhere.”

They stared at each other without speaking for a few moments before Gabriel tilted his head, studying her. “Your earrings are quite lovely. I’m always keeping an eye out for unique pieces like that.”

Marinette touched her ear without thought before forcing her hand back down. “I picked them up when we were in the United States.”

“How interesting.” Gabriel pursed his lips, one corner tugging up in almost a smile. Something about his expression had Marinette suppressing a shiver.

“Mr. Agreste, you’re needed.”

Marinette watched Gabriel walk away without giving her a second look. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled around her in his presence. She caught Adrien watching her and sent him the best smile she could manage.


	23. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the awesome comments! They keep me going <3

“The box can’t stay in Paris any longer.” Nino dropped his duffel bag on Marinette’s coffee table. “Someone ransacked my place last night when I was at Alya’s. Thankfully I bring it with me when I stay the night over there.” He shook his head. “Hawkmoth is getting impatient.”

“You don’t think it could’ve been a random break-in?” Adrien asked, offering him a cup of tea.

“Nothing was taken. I had tons of recording equipment out and none of it was touched.”

“That also means someone at least suspected you had it.” Marinette worried her bottom lip. 

“Which means it might not be long until someone suspects you guys too,” Nino sighed. “The Miraculous make it harder to see who we really are when we’re transformed. Even though it’s obvious to each other that we are just us in masks, the magic is still supposed to keep us protected from anyone who doesn’t know. It worries me that someone could see past that.”

“Like a perception filter,” Adrien frowned. “I was wondering about that when I dyed my hair back. No one even commented on it which was good and bad, I think.”

“So you’re saying people might still see your hair as brown because that’s how they saw you first as Chat Noir?”

“Possibly,” Adrien shrugged. “Which I guess makes my identity a little safer at least. Wait, you don’t want us to go on the run again do you?”

Nino shook his head. “Marinette definitely can’t. I don’t see Hawkmoth stopping with the akumas anytime soon so Paris needs Ladybug.”

Marinette felt her heartbeat quicken. “And Chat Noir,” she added.

“It probably would be harder for me to get away,” Adrien admitted. “My father isn’t quite over my last trip. He’s been keeping a closer eye on me, I think. I’ve had to be careful about where I transform near my place.”

“Except Ladybug has been visiting you,” Marinette winced.

Adrien’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“Maybe Gabriel will think you’re dating Ladybug,” Nino offered uncertainly. 

“He knows I’m dating Marinette though.”

“And it probably wouldn’t be hard to figure out I’m Ladybug, would it?” Marinette stood and began to pace behind the couch. 

“Even if he does suspect it, it’s not like my father is Hawkmoth or anything.”

Nino inhaled sharply and got up, making a beeline to Marinette’s kitchen and taking a bottle of vodka down from the top of her refrigerator. 

Marinette watched him curiously. “Where is the box going?”

Nino knocked back a shot. “Al and I might take it to Ireland. I’ve been doing some research and there are some possibly Miraculous-related things there I think would be good to check out.”

“So that would only leave Chloe to help when I have to travel,” Adrien said.

“Chloe and I can handle it. We’ll be fine.”

Adrien opened his mouth to respond but snapped it shut when his phone rang. He answered it with a grimace and Marinette moved into the kitchen, keeping an eye on her boyfriend. “You suspect Gabriel, don’t you?” she whispered.

“Fu warned me that he had his suspicions about him,” Nino nodded, taking another shot. “It’s part of why he chose Adrien, which in my opinion, was sketchy and honestly, a little shitty.”

Marinette tightened the cap on the bottle and put it back on top of the refrigerator. “We have to tell Adrien,” she hissed.

“We can’t! Not yet. Let me look into it a little more.”

“Nino.”

“Mari, please. Do you want to be the one to tell him that his dad might be the bad guy?”

“His dad is a bad guy.”

Nino sighed. “Yeah, but this is different. I’ll call you in a week, okay?”

“Fine. Just be careful, the both of you. And you better call me! I don’t like keeping secrets from him.”


	24. Piano

“You’ve been quiet tonight.”

Marinette snuggled closer to Adrien as he held her in his bed. “Just a lot on my mind, I guess.”

“Anything you need to talk about?”

It was so tempting to tell him about Nino’s theory. She wanted to warn him to stay away from his father. She wanted to beg him to run away again. She wanted to kiss him and hold him and block out the rest of the world so they never had to think about Hawkmoth or the Miraculous or anything else ever again. 

“Not yet,” she finally whispered back, resting her cheek against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat. It was a reassuring presence in her ear. “Soon though.”

“I’m here when you need me.”

“I know.”

The room fell silent around them for a while but neither fell asleep. Adrien spoke again after a long stretch of quiet. “I’m thinking of getting a piano.”

Marinette tilted her chin up towards his face even though she could only make out the silhouette. “Do you play?”

“I used to. I actually kind of hated it at the time. It was one of my father’s required activities. I’ve been thinking about it a lot though lately. I think I’d enjoy it now on my own terms.”

“It’d be nice to hear you play.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I thought it would be cool to be able to do some music stuff with Nino too, you know? Well, when he gets back,” he added, worry leaking into his voice.

“I’m sure everything is going to be okay.”

“You are?”

Marinette held back a smile. “No, but I’m trying to be,” she admitted.

“You want to know something a little messed up?”

“I think that’s our sweet spot,” she teased.

Adrien chuckled. “Yeah.”

“What is it?”

“I know Hawkmoth is a bad guy. I know we have to stop him, but...but part of me is thankful he came around.”

Marinette frowned into the darkness. “Why?”

“Because it brought me you. I know that’s selfish. He’s done so many awful things but--”

“I’m glad I have you too, Adrien,” she assured him. “Do you, uh, do you ever wonder if he’s someone we know?”

She felt him shake his head and heard his hair rustle against the pillowcase. “No, I really hope he isn’t. I can’t imagine anyone in my life being so cruel.”

Marinette closed her eyes and said a silent prayer that Nino’s assumption was wrong. “Yeah, that would be really awful,” she agreed quietly.


	25. Sneaking Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Finally caught back up. Only five more days to go! :D

“I wish you could stay longer,” Adrien whined playfully as he leaned against the wall. “Are you sure you have to go to work?”

“I’m lucky they even let me have this job after disappearing. I really need to put in the effort to get back up to the level I was before I left,” Marinette said with a kiss to his nose. “I need to get home and change first too.”

“You could just start keeping clothes here.”

“Is that an invitation to move in?” she teased, gathering her purse and coat.

“Yes.”

She turned around with a surprised expression and Adrien shrugged.

“Surely you saw that coming,” he smiled. “We haven’t spent a night apart since we got back.”

“I know, I just... Can I have some time to think about it?”

His smile faltered but he didn’t let it fall. “Of course.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you later?”

“I’ll call you when I’m getting off,” she promised.

Marinette walked down the hall of his building in a daze. Moving in together shouldn’t be a big deal, right? They slept in the same room for almost two months and had been in the same bed for the few months they had been back. While there had actually been a night or two they didn’t spend together, there had been so few that Adrien’s statement had almost been true. 

“Sneaking out?”

She blinked up in surprise at a man standing in front of a car at the curb. She hadn’t even realized she had gotten down to the lobby and out into the street. Apparently Adrien’s proposal had thrown her for more of a loop than she expected. “Excuse me?”

The man grinned. “Or is it called the walk of shame? I can never get those straight.”

Marinette glanced around and saw that the buidling’s usual doorman was nowhere to be seen. Ignoring the man, she tightened her hold on her purse strap and turned away to walk down the street. 

“You need to get in the car, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” he called. “For Adrien’s sake, that is.”

Marinette froze, swallowing hard. She turned back to look at the man. “What are you talking about?”

“Get in the car and I’m sure my employer will be happy to explain.”

“You must think I’m an idiot if you think I’m going to get into a stra...nge...car...” Marinette blinked rapidly as everything around her began to slow down. Something was wrong. Her mind felt suddenly fuzzy and her limbs were too heavy. She saw the grinning man step closer to her and there was a flash of brilliant blue before everything went dark.


	26. Picnic in Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting so close to the end! Only a few days to go. Thanks so much for reading :D

Marinette felt as if she should be more surprised when the long elevator ride up one of the tallest buildings in Paris brought her to a tea time picnic with Gabriel Agreste on an open rooftop, but she couldn’t seem to stir up any shock. Her head still felt fuzzy, mostly due to the woman in the peacock getup behind her, she assumed. Marinette remembered seeing the brilliant blue of her costume before passing out and apparently being loaded in a car by that damn grinning man on the street. She had come to in time to be shunted into an elevator and told to keep quiet.

Her purse had been taken and she was too nervous to check if Tikki made it into her jacket in time or not. Nothing felt safe at the moment.

“Please, come take a seat, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Gabriel sat on one of the spindle chairs with a tea cup suspended midair. “You won’t be going anywhere until we have a chat so you may as well sit down.”

Marinette glared at the peacock woman behind her and stalked across the rooftop, perching on the edge of the waiting chair. “What?” she demanded, voice dripping with venom.

Gabriel tilted his head, studying her. “I can see it now. Ladybug has gotten quite the reputation for being fierce as of late, especially where her partner is concerned.”

“You would think Hawkmoth would get the hint and stop coming after Chat. Apparently he’s a bit too thick,” she shot back. She glared across the table at him. “You know he’s your son.”

“I do,” Gabriel took a sip of tea. “I had my suspicions when you two showed back up suddenly after your impromptu trip and Ladybug and Chat Noir were suddenly around. Fu thought he was quite clever to send the box away with you. Sending my own son though...” Gabriel shook his head. “That was his biggest mistake. It made it much easier to track you.” 

Marinette watched him pour more tea, offering some to her. She glared at him in return and Gabriel set the kettle down with a small shrug. He poured a couple of drops of honey into the cup and began to stir it and Marinette wanted to scream at the absolute ridiculousness of the situation. “Why am I here?”

“To give me your Miraculous. Any moment now, I feel certain Adrien will be handing over his. Although he may require more proof. He can be like that at times.”

“He wouldn’t.”

Gabriel gave her half a smile. “You don’t believe that. You know with the right persuasion, he absolutely would.”

A sinking feeling overtook her. “Me,” she said softly.

“Contrary to what I’m sure you believe, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I don’t want to hurt anyone. I need the Miraculous to right a wrong. With the Ladybug and Black Cat in my possession, I can change things.”

“Change things how?”

“Rewrite time,” he answered simply. “None of this will have ever happened and those that have been lost can come back.”

“That’s impossible.”

“So is the power we harness, yet here we are.”

“If you were just after us, then why ransack Nino’s apartment?”

“Ah yes, the apprentice Guardian. Well, honestly I wanted to send a point that Fu chose poorly.”

“Except the box wasn’t there.”

Gabriel pursed his lips. “No. That would’ve only been a bonus though. It did take two of the other heroes out of the country so they couldn’t meddle with my plans. And as for Miss Chloe Bourgeois, it seems her boyfriend was arrested for breaking and entering my home,” he tutted. “Such a shame. He seemed like quite the promising artist, but quite poor, I believe. I doubt he’ll be able to afford his own legal representation so I’m sure she is busy trying to help at the moment.”

Marinette wanted to scream at his calm demeanor. She wanted to cry and punch and scratch and kick. She wanted to do anything that would wipe that look off his face.

There was a soft ding and the elevator was opening again. Adrien stepped onto the rooftop with wide eyes, followed by the smug man Marinette had met on the sidewalk. Adrien was suddenly by her side, holding her tight while checking that she was okay. “He told me I was going to lose you if I didn’t come with him. He showed me pictures of you passed out,” he murmured, kissing her head. He finally recognized his father’s presence, his face a mask of confusion.

“Your ring, Adrien,” Gabriel demanded, holding out his hand.

“What? I don’t-- Hey!” Adrien spun as Marinette was pulled away from him by the other woman and roughly moved across the rooftop. Marinette twisted and cursed but couldn’t break free of her grasp. “What the hell are you doing?” Adrien demanded when the man grabbed his arms from behind. 

“This would’ve been so much easier if you two would just cooperate,” Gabriel sighed. He went to Adrien and put a hand on his shoulder. “This is going to make everything better, son, I promise. You’re going to be happier.”

“Please, I don’t know what you’re talking about but, Father, please,” Adrien begged.

“If you don’t give me the Miraculous, Paon will throw her over the side.”

Paon moved the struggling Marinette to the edge of the roof. “Spots on!” Marinette screamed, bracing her feet against the brick. She cried out in relief when she caught a flash of red zoom out of her jacket but then she was falling to her back on the rooftop as the air rushed from her lungs. She looked up in confusion to see Tikki trapped in some kind of bubble as Paon stared down at her with a blank expression. 

“No,” she whispered as Tikki beat against the side. The bubble lit up with every hit and Tikki finally felt to the bottom of it and lay still.

Marinette looked to Adrien quickly, hoping to see Chat Noir but all she saw was Adrien on his knees with a broken expression. “I’m so sorry,” he said, tears streaming down his face.

Marinette felt her earrings taken away from her but she was too numb for it to mean much. Adrien crawled across the rooftop to her, holding her to him. Gabriel neared them, their Miraculous in his hands. 

“I’m so sorry it came to this.” He looked as if he had aged in their short time on the roof and as much as Marinette hated him in that moment, she actually believed him. “It will all be right soon.” She watched him slide the ring onto his finger. She hadn’t noticed the small flesh-colored earrings he wore before. Gabriel Agreste was nothing if not prepared. The Ladybug Miraculous went into place easily. Golden light flashed around him and Marinette had to look away.

“I’m so sorry, Mari. I’m so sorry,” Adrien chanted, holding her close to him.

Marinette pulled back, taking his face between her hands. “You have to remember me.”

His brow furrowed. “What?”

The air around them crackled with electricity and Marinette couldn’t bring herself to look up at whatever was happening to Gabriel. “Remember me,” she repeated. “If he can really do this, you might forget. We have to remember.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” His voice rose as the wind beat around them and thunder roared above them. His eyes were too big, full of fear and confusion and Marinette knew in that moment, her wish would be to take all of that away from him. She hoped that somehow that was Gabriel’s wish too.

“I love you,” she promised and then it was all over.


	27. First Kiss

“I had that weird dream again.” Marinette picked at the top of her muffin.

“The one with the blonde and brunette?” Alya smirked. “Tell me more.”

Marinette threw a clump of muffin at her best friend. “I told you they aren’t those kind of dreams.”

“Still must be nice to be wanted by two guys, even in dreamland,” Alya teased, wiping crumbs off her shoulder.

“It’s the same guy; his hair just changes sometimes.”

“Ah, variety.”

“I’m telling Nino you’re going on about wanting variety.”

“I’ll tell him myself,” she laughed, looking at her phone. “He knows I’m a sucker for him just the way he is. I’ve got to get back to the office. You?”

“Yeah, I probably should too. Camille was kind of stressed out when I left for lunch.” Marinette gathered her purse and messenger bag. Her hair tugged on one of her earrings as she moved and her fingers flew to her ear in a panic before realizing the pearl studs were still there. She willed her heartbeat to slow again. She had been having that reaction every time her earrings were touched. She was even finding herself unable to take them out at night which had never been a problem before. There was nothing special about them really, simply a pair of pearl earrings she had snagged on sale at a local boutique months ago. It didn’t make sense.

“You okay, girl?” 

Alya’s face was a mask of worry so Marinette pasted on a smile. “Yeah, of course. Ready?”  
_________________________

Adrien stared at his reflection as the stylist worked on his hair. “How do you think I would look with brown hair?”

The stylist grimaced. “Awful. We aren’t doing that.”

“Aren’t doing what?” Emilie Agreste appeared in the mirror’s reflection.

“Giving Adrien brown hair.”

Emilie stepped in and the stylist moved back as the mother carded her fingers through her son’s hair. “Are you wanting a change?”

Adrien shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m thinking about it.”

“You can do that if you want. I think you’d look very handsome.”

“What will Father say?”

Emilie winked at him. “You leave him to me.” She studied her son’s reflection. “Are you okay? You’ve seemed...almost sad lately.”

He frowned. “I guess I’ve been feeling a little down. I’m not sure why though.” He rubbed his thumb across his knuckle in an absent gesture. 

“I think you need a break.”

“Maybe,” he admitted.

“I’ll look at your schedule with Nathalie. We’ll rearrange some things to get you some time off.”

Adrien beamed at her. “Thanks, Mom. I’d really appreciate that.”  
_________________________

Marinette hurried down the long hallway, juggling fabrics and paperwork. Camille had loaded her down in a stressed frenzy and begged her to get everything to the Gabriel fashion house before their small business lost their biggest contact. If Marinette hadn’t been sick to her stomach at the thought of messing things up for Camille, she would’ve been beside herself at the thought of possibly meeting one of her fashion idols.

A large poster on the wall she was passing caught her eye for a split second and then she was tripping over her own feet, everything in her arms crashing to the floor ahead of her.

“Oh, wow, let me help you with that.”

Marinette looked up, cheeks burning. Her breath caught in her throat as the literal man from her dreams looked back at her with a starstruck expression.

“Have we met?” he asked, voice soft.

“I don’t think so,” she breathed, hands hovering uselessly over her fallen load.

The man blinked, almost shaking himself and a charming smile fell into place. “I’m guessing all of this needs to get to Gabriel?”

Marinette forced herself to concentrate on picking up all the pieces. “Yeah, I’m supposed to meet Nathalie. Camille LeBarge sent me?”

“Oh, right,” he smiled. “Camille’s cool.” He stood with an armful of fabric and offered her his other hand. “I’m Adrien.”

Marinette took his hand and the universe tilted sideways. She was suddenly standing by the door of her small apartment, her fingers tucked into brown hair as she kissed Adrien for the first time. He let out a breathy sigh and smiled as he rested his forehead against hers. “That was absolutely worth the wait.”

Reality slammed back into place and Marinette gasped softly from her place on the ground. Adrien was staring at her with wide eyes, their hands still connected. He swallowed hard. “Did you see that?”

“See what?” she squeaked, allowing him to pull her to feet. They stared at each other for a few moments and then Marinette was dropping her eyes. “I really need to get this stuff to Nathalie.”

“Right,” Adrien nodded, “uh, yeah, right. This way.” He turned, not offering the fabric he held back to her. He could feel her behind him like an electric charge. The feeling he had gotten when taking her hand had felt so real. He could taste the mint on her lips and somehow knew it was from her favorite chapstick. He could feel her nails lightly scratching his scalp, the softness of her mouth on his, the warmth of her body as he held her close. He relived the absolute joy of finally being able to kiss her properly and she being the one to initiate it. 

Nathalie was taking things from him and leading Marinette in another direction before Adrien realized what was happening and he stood in the hallway, blinking in the direction they had gone. How was it possible to relive a memory he’d never had?


	28. Disguises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the sweet comments <3

Three days. Three days and Adrien had been absolutely unable to get the woman from the hallway out of his mind. In his best attempt to be casual, he weaseled the name Marinette out of Nathalie, but he was sure she saw straight through him when her eyebrow quirked in amusement. It didn’t matter. Now he knew two things. Her name was Marinette and she worked for Camille, who happened to adore him.

Three things, he corrected mentally. Her name was Marinette, she worked for Camille, and she was the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. He had half a plan formulated in his head when he passed the flower cart on his way to Camille’s.

“What can I get for you today, sir?” An older woman asked, smoothing her apron as she stood.

Adrien stared at the flowers, a hazy thought rattling around in the back of his mind. “Pink,” he murmured.

“Excuse me?”

“Her favorite color is pink,” he said more clearly and the truth settled into place as if he had always known it. He frowned at the sensation but couldn’t deny how right it felt.

The woman watched him before hesitantly stepping up. “I have quite a few pink flowers. Would you like to choose some?”

“I don’t know what her favorite one is. Could you do a group of every pink flower you have?”

He watched the woman work and forced his mind to concentrate on Marinette. He didn’t know her. They’d only met that once in the hallway at Gabriel. He had to ask Nathalie for her name. But he knew without a doubt that her favorite color was pink. And that she loved ordering Chinese takeout and taking turns with him reading fortunes from the cookies. She snored when she slept on her right side. And she had a favorite pair of worn pajama pants with a hole torn in the knee that she patched up with a square of fabric featuring kittens. She called him Kitty sometimes; he couldn’t remember why. She knitted, as well. He could remember green yarn. She was making him a...

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut as a blinding pain shot through his head. He gasped, grabbing hold of the cart to keep himself upright.

“Sir? Sir, are you alright?”

“Fine,” he ground out, forcing himself upright. He blinked against the sun and willed as charming an expression as he could muster into place as he paid for the flowers and hurried away. That was his fallback disguise. If he could dazzle someone with a smile, maybe they wouldn’t realize he was out of his mind half the time.

Hopefully the women at least didn’t recognize him. The last thing he wanted was to be featured in a tabloid for being publicly crazy. That wouldn’t go over well with his parents. His mother was still fussing over him a ridiculous amount since he had finally moved out on his own the month before.

Adrien reached Camille’s within ten minutes and looked down at the very pink bouquet of flowers. Perhaps this was a mistake. He didn’t know this woman. Obviously he was going through some kind of mental breakdown and imagining facts about her that couldn’t possibly be true. 

He should call his therapist. He should request an emergency appointment. It was happening again. He was remembering things that he couldn’t have experienced. He had been dealing with it most of his life now, the continuing feeling of deja vu and then suddenly a jarring whiplash when something felt out of place.   
He suddenly remembered the guy he saw on a park bench two weeks before. Everything in him had screamed to go speak to him but he rationalized it away. The guy had been wearing headphones and had a hat pulled low over his eyes. He obviously didn’t want to be disturbed. 

He should go. He looked around for a moment to decide what to do with the flowers and saw Marinette stepping out of the building and into the sunlight. She blinked at him in surprise. “Adrien?”

Adrien pasted on a smile. “Marinette.”

A lovely pink splashed across her cheeks and she dropped her eyes just enough so they weren’t making contact. “Did you come to see Camille?”

“Uh, please don’t be weirded out, but I actually came to see you.”

“Me?” she breathed.

Adrien thrust the flowers towards her awkwardly. “I know you like pink.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. “How?”

“I’m psychic?” he offered with a forced smile.

She stared at him for a moment before taking the flowers. Their fingers brushed and Marinette tripped forward with a small gasp. Adrien caught her by the arms and held her in place, their faces too close to be casual.

Marinette swallowed loudly. “This is going to sound strange, but do you happen to like cats, by chance?”


	29. The Wall

“My friend, Nino, calls it ‘the wiggins’ but I’m pretty sure that’s not a technical term,” Marinette offered with a small smile before taking a sip of her coffee.

Adrien pulled a chunk off his scone and crumbled it between his fingers. “So you and your friend have been experiencing it too? Memories that can’t be there?” Even now, Adrien couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d sat across from Marinette like this a hundred times before, food between them as they talked, even though logically he knew this was their first time doing it.

“A couple of friends actually,” she nodded. “I was afraid you were going to think I’m crazy.”

He gave her a lopsided smile. “People have been thinking I’m crazy most of my life. I try not to judge too quickly.”

She studied him. “How long has it been happening to you?”

Adrien blinked. “Always.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“That doesn’t sound like a good ‘oh’.”

She shook her head. “Sorry. Up until now, we’ve only known about three of us and the furthest it goes back is about two years for Nino. It’s only been happening a few months for me and Alya.”

“So maybe I am actually nuts,” Adrien sighed.

Marinette hesitated for a second before reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. “If it helps, I don’t think you are.”

“You don’t know me.”

Her expression shifted to something almost pained as she took her hand away. “In a hotel room, you like the bed closest to the air conditioner.”

Adrien’s breath caught. “A lot of people do.”

Marinette furrowed her brow. “And you want to get a piano.”

“I have a piano.”

“Oh.” She seemed to shrink in on herself. “Nevermind then.”

Adrien blanched. “Wait, I’m sorry. Please keep going.”

She gave him a wary look but nodded. “You have an addiction to Skittles?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had them,” he winced. “But maybe that’s a good reason not to start?”

“You call me ‘my Lady’ when you wear black,” she whispered.

A memory suddenly split open in his head. They were on a rooftop with the sun setting and her hand in his. He could see it clearly and lifted her red hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss on the black spot. His tail curled around her side and she sighed happily, resting her head on his shoulder. “I love you, my Lady,” he said quietly as night began to come alive around them. “I’ll always love you.”

“Ladybug,” he breathed as reality settled around him once more.

Marinette’s eyes were shining with tears. “You’ve seen them too? Or us?” She blinked quickly, trying to will the tears away. “Are they past lives? That’s Alya’s theory.”

“Maybe,” he answered uncertainly, voice a little shaky still. He finally met her eyes. “They have to be real.”

“Why?” 

“Because they...don’t they feel real?”

She inhaled deeply and gave him a sharp nod. “Would you come somewhere with me? I think there’s something you need to see.”

“Anywhere,” he replied immediately without a second thought.  
_______________________

“Welcome to the Wall of Weird,” Alya said with a large sweep of her arm.

Adrien stepped closer, trying to take it all in. “What is this?” he finally asked.

“Anything that doesn’t feel right to us,” Nino shrugged. “We can’t really find any real connection, but it helps to keep collecting it.” He glanced at Alya. “I was just keeping a notebook but my girlfriend tends to lean towards the dramatic which is why I lost half of my studio to this thing.”

“You love it and me,” she grinned.

“Guilty,” Nino winked. 

Alya pointed to a magazine picture of Adrien towards the top, his hair colored brown with a marker. “See? You’re even here.”

Marinette flushed. “You said you were going to take that down before we got here.”

“He’s part of this. No need to be embarrassed. Marinette thinks you should have brown hair,” Alya explained.

“Only sometimes,” Marinette added miserably. 

“I was wanting to dye it brown last week,” Adrien murmured, leaning closer. “This is my father. And here. And here. And my mom.”

“Yeah,” Nino frowned. “Your family kind of shows up a lot where things seem to get weird.”

“Why?”

“We were hoping maybe you knew,” Alya shrugged.

“I don’t.” Adrien moved down the wall, his heart leaping up into his throat. “What are these?” He pointed to drawings tucked in among the printouts of articles and photos. 

“Oh, um, I’m not sure if they’re anything but Alya thought they should be up here,” Marinette said. “Every time I sit down to design something, some form of those come out.” 

When Adrien stepped back, he realized there were sketches of polka dotted earrings and paw print rings and fox tail necklaces and turtle shell bracelets and striped hair combs all over the wall. “I’ve seen these.”

The trio looked at him in surprise. “Like in a dream or something?” Nino asked.

Adrien shook his head. “No. My father has this jewelry in a safe in our home. It was years ago, but I remember seeing them when he was putting something in the safe.”

“Could you get them?” Alya prodded.

“I don’t know. I doubt he would give them to me. My father can be really weird about the stuff he keeps in that safe. He was angry I even saw it.”

“Could you steal them?”

“Alya!” Marinette admonished.

“Come on, Mari. You’ve been drawing this jewelry and dreaming about this guy for months and suddenly he’s the one that can get the jewelry? That’s not a coincidence.”

Marinette worried her bottom lip. “You don’t need to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with Adrien.”

Adrien had to smother the immediate reaction to pull her to him and kiss her forehead in comfort. “I’ll do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Points to anyone who picked up the Smallville reference, haha. Alya is so Chloe from that universe. :)


	30. Rewrite

“What are you doing in here?”

Adrien jumped at the sound of his father’s voice, face going red as he turned away from the large family portrait at the end of Gabriel’s office. “I was, um...”

“Save both of our time and don’t bother with a lie, Adrien,” Gabriel sighed, moving further into the room. “Were you trying to get into the safe?”

He straightened, squaring his shoulders. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“I’d like to see the jewelry you have in there.”

Gabriel’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Adrien fished his phone out of his pocket and pulled up the photos he’d taken of Marinette’s drawings. “These. I want to see these.” He expected Gabriel to go cold and tell him to leave so when his father let out a heavy sigh, Adrien blinked in surprise.

“I guess I knew this was coming,” Gabriel murmured. “I don’t know that I have the strength to keep fighting it anyway.”

“What are you talking about?”

Gabriel held up a finger as he crossed the room. “You’ll listen to what I have to say and then if you still think you should take the jewelry, I’ll let you.”

Adrien frowned but nodded, following his father’s lead and taking a seat at the desk. 

“What is in the safe isn’t just jewelry; they are items of immense power and magic. I used them to create this world.”

Adrien stiffened. “I don’t understand.”

Gabriel nodded. “I know. That’s my fault as well.” He leaned forward. “Adrien, in another life, we lost your mother.”

“No...”

“It wrecked me. You know how much I love her. I did things...” He trailed off, pursing his lips. “I did things that I’m not proud of now, but at the time, I was desperate to get her back however I could.”

“But she’s not gone.” Adrien looked towards the office door. “I just saw her when I got here.”

“Now,” Gabriel nodded. “She exists here. When I brought her back, it rewrote our lives as if she had never been gone.”

“The memories.” Adrien swallowed hard, looking down at his hands. “You made me see so many doctors.” He glared across the desk at Gabriel. “You made me think I was crazy.”

“I’m sorry. Adrien, I’m so sorry.”

Adrien stood, the chair screeching across the marble floor. “Give me the jewelry.”

Gabriel sagged in his chair. “I’m not sure what will happen if you put the ring on, son. We could lose her all over again. Is that something you’re willing to chance?”

“I don’t...I’m not...” Adrien sank back down.

Gabriel shook his head. “I knew the moment I heard Marinette was in the building that it would be over soon. I’ve kept you away from them as much as I could. I wanted to leave Paris but your mother wouldn’t have it. She loves it too much here.”

“Do you remember the other world? The one without Mom?”

“Clearly,” he nodded. “Things are finally starting to blur because this would be around the time when I changed everything. Hopefully I won’t have two sets of memories anymore soon.”

“What about the rest of the world?”

“What do you mean?”

“What did bringing Mom back affect?”

Gabriel blinked. “Outside of us, nothing that I’m aware of. The business has been more successful so I suppose there could be ramifications for someone else because of that, but I doubt anything big has changed. No one would remember it if it had.”

“Does everyone have two sets of memories? No one talks about it. Until Marinette, Nino, and Alya, I thought I was nuts. You let me think I was nuts,” he accused.

“The four of you had recently held Miraculous when everything changed. I believe that saved your memories somehow.”

“Me, Marinette, Nino, and Alya wore the jewelry?”

“Well, and Chloe Bourgeois,” Gabriel added with a grimace. “I suppose perhaps that didn’t go well but still worth the cost to have your mother.”

Adrien felt a rush of anger. “Chloe?! Chloe, who has been institutionalized on and off our whole lives?!” He stood again and slammed a fist on the desk. “No one affected?! Give me the jewelry, Father, now.”

Gabriel stared at him and then nodded, standing and crossing the room to the safe. “You could be taking your mother’s life away.”

“You took five lives away,” he spat back. “I’ll go talk to Mom. When she finds out what you’ve done--”

“No.” Gabriel turned sharply. “Whatever you do, you can’t tell her about this. No matter what you think of me now, it would destroy her.”

“Fine.”

Gabriel opened the safe and pulled out the glass box that held seven pieces of jewelry. “Please take some time to think about it,” he said, carefully handing the box to Adrien. “And read these.” He gently placed two books on top of the box, one thick and obviously very old and the other a leather-bound journal.

Adrien took them and left the office without another word.  
______________________________

Marinette paced the length of Nino’s living room as Alya and Nino watched her. 

“He’s on his way,” Alya offered.

“You didn’t hear the way his voice sounded,” Marinette said quietly. “It’s been days since he talked to his father.”

Nino stood. “Maybe we’ll finally get some answers. Do you guys want me to order in some food?”

“I’m not hungry.” Marinette turned on her heel and began to pace the other way.

“Well, you’re eating,” Alya replied. “Thanks, babe. Food would be great.”

A knock on the door grabbed all their attention and suddenly Marinette was suddenly wrenching it open. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was about seeing Adrien that instantly made her feel better but it was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. A weight that seemingly stayed on his. 

He moved past her with barely a smile and set the box and books on Nino’s coffee table. “It’s all there. Everything about why we have different memories.”

Nino immediately picked up the old book, eyes widening. “I remember this.”

“Yeah, I think it was yours,” Adrien sighed, dropping into the armchair. “The other one is a journal my father kept about everything. Things he did in the other timeline, the Miraculous we held, things he wishes he could’ve changed.” He shook his head. “It’s all there.”

Alya brushed her fingers against the glass over the foxtail necklace. “And he just gave these to you?”

“If you read towards the end of the journal, it makes more sense. He’s exhausted. I guess having two timelines in your head for almost forty years really does a number on you.”

Marinette stood by the armchair. “How are you though?” she asked softly.

He looked up at her with a broken look in his eyes. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered. 

Giving in to her every instinct, Marinette dropped into the chair with him, wrapping her body around him as much as she could in a hug. Adrien’s arms were instantly around her, his face buried in her neck.

Everyone stayed silent for a while, Alya and Nino reading while Marinette and Adrien held each other.

“So one of us could bring the Ladybug and Black Cat together and try to change the world back, but you would lose your mom,” Nino finally said.

“And our lives here would be over. We can’t know for sure what has happened here also happened in the other timeline,” Alya pointed out. “Our family, our friends, the experiences that made us who we are, those could be gone, or at the very least, too different to make the same impact.”

“Yeah,” Adrien sighed. “That’s the problem. There’s also a friend of mine who held one of the Miraculous. She’s been in and out of institutions our whole lives. I never really knew why because no one talk about it, but I’m going to bet it has to do with all this.”

“Do you think getting the Bee back to her could help?” Alya asked.

“It’s not going to erase the last twenty-five years even if it does.” Adrien scrubbed at his face with the palm of his hand. “No one really wins either way.”

“Except your father apparently,” Marinette muttered. 

“I don’t know.” Alya held up the journal. “He seems pretty miserable.”

Nino leaned back against the couch. “I don’t think we should try to undo this timeline.”

“Why?”

“There’s no way to make it exactly the same. What if we all end up with three sets of memories. We really will be insane, no offense,” he nodded to Adrien. 

“None taken.”

“So Gabriel just gets away with what he did?” Marinette sat up. “Who knows what he took away from us, what we could be missing out on. It’s not right.”

“I know, but there’s nothing we can really do, Mari,” Nino winced. “We can’t take this to the police and have him arrested. No one would believe us.”

“Do we just leave them in the box?” Alya stared at the necklace. “I don’t know if I can.”

“What if we out them on and try?” Marinette suggested. “You said it would take the Ladybug and the Black Cat together to change things so they should be safe enough apart, right?”

“It’s worth a try, I suppose,” Nino nodded. He opened the box carefully. “Let’s give it a shot.”  
______________________________

Chat Noir crouched on the wall outside of the Agreste mansion, watching Emilie move around the office through one of the large windows as she straightened things and laughed at something her husband said while he worked at his desk. 

“She’s still here.”

He turned to see Ladybug standing behind him. “Yeah,” he said softly. “I was worried.”

“I told the others to go ahead. They’re going to attempt to see Chloe.” She sat down beside him on the ledge. “Do you remember?”

“It was kind of a rush of memories when I transformed. Sorry for running off. I really needed to know if she was okay.”

“I understand.”

“We were...we were together,” he finally said.

“Yeah, I remember,” she nodded.

“How does that make you feel?”

Ladybug bit her lip and smiled at him, cheeks burning. “How does it make you feel?”

“I asked you first, my Lady.”

Her breath caught at his words. “It makes me angry that your father caused us to forget a second of it,” she admitted, glaring at Gabriel through the window. “It’s not fair that he doesn’t get punished for this.”

“I know.”

“But I don’t want to lose any more time.” She took his hand in hers, resting her head on his shoulder. 

There were more words that needed to be said. There were actions that needed to be taken. There were questions and complications and so many issues that needed resolution. But for now, for this small moment at the beginning of their new lives, they simply sat together and enjoyed their time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading this month! I've had fun with this story and it was definitely a challenge to keep it going while using the assigned prompts. I really appreciate all the kind thoughts and comments along the way. They really kept me going. Thanks! <3


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